
Glass- 
Book. 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



COMPLETE COUESE 



MEDITATIONS 



FOR THE USE OF 



THE SISTERS OF CHARITY. 



1 



Hs^aoki^^s cji eWKrvVu ctC^t'^ V»-^^^ 






MEDITATIONS 



FOR THE ANNUAL RETREAT 



FOR THE USE OF 



THE SISTERS OF CHARITY. 



SECOND EDITION, 



i:^ 



a S O-^T 



.-" JOHN MUEPHY & CO. 

Printers to the Kolp See aid to tb^ardinatjilltmb'miop of Maltimore. 

BALTIMORE and NETJ^ YORK. 

1898. 






15083 



Copyright, 1898, 
By Sisters of Charity, Emmitsburg, Md, 




TVVOuOPieSRliCtiVtO. 

an is 



^?*96 



REGULATIONS 
For the Annual Retreat, 



On the eve of the Retreat, the Sisters assemble at 
5.30 p. m., in the place appointed for the exercises/ 
there to make the preparatory meditation. After the 
Veni, Sanctey and the invocation, Mary, conceived 
without sin, thrice repeated, th^ Sister selected to 
read the meditations, will read the third point. 
At 6 o'clock, the conclusion is made, followed by 
the particular examen, according to custom : then, 
supper. 

On leaving the refectory, the Sisters repair to the 
Retreat room, recite the Angelus at the sound of the 
bell, the Da pacem and a decade of the chaplet ; after 
which, the Missionary appointed to give the Retreat, 
says ; 1. Veni, Creator, with the versicle and prayer ; 
2. Ave, maris Stella, with versicle and prayer, followed 
by the prayer of St. Joseph and that of St. Vin- 
cent, under one conclusion ; terminating with the 
invocation : Mary, conceived without sin, thrice 
repeated. The Sisters respond to these divers 
prayers. The Missionary then makes his exhortation 

5 



6 EEGULATIONS FOR THE RETREAT. 

on the Importance of the Retreat, and the Means of 
profiting by it. 

Nota. — When this opening Instruction is not possi- 
ble, it is supplied, after the above-mentioned prayers, 
by the reading of the preparatory meditation, the 
the third point of which was read before the medi- 
tation at 5.30. 

Evening prayers follow immediately, commenced, 
according to custom, by the Veni, Sande, and 
Mary, conceived without sin, thrice repeated ; followed 
by the reading of the first point of the meditation 
for the next day, reserving the second point to be 
read after prayers : this method is followed during 
the Retreat. 



Retreat. 
Order of the Day, 

A. M. 



4 o'clock : Rising. 

4.30 : Meditation : reading of the first point only ; 
the second point, read the evening before, is omitted ; 

4.50, the third point of the meditation is read: 

5.15: Conclusion of meditation followed by the 
customary prayers. After the Veni, Creator, offer- 
ing of the work ; the offering of the chaplet is made 
in the afternoon. 

5.30 : Holy Sacrifice of Mass, followed immedi- 
ately by the Litany of St. Joseph, a Pater and Ave, 



REGULATIONS FOR THE RETREAT. 7 

with the invocation : Mary, conceived without sin, 
thrice repeated^ and a chapter from the Imitation, as 
indicated for each day, in the order of Spiritual. 
Readings inserted in this volume, page 209, etc. 

The Veni, Sancte, is not said before the Litany of 
St. Joseph and the reading of the Imitation, as these 
are a continuation of the foregoing exercises. 

6.45 : Breakfast, after which, free time until 8 
o'clock. The free time is not to be spent in idleness 
or dissipation ; it should be employed in confession. 
Direction, interior examen, in performing the Sacra- 
mental penance, or even in domestic duties. 

8 o'clock : Conference, followed by fifteen minutes' 
reflection upon the subject treated. 

9.15 : OflSce of the Holy Ghost, found in the 
Formulary, but without being preceded by the 
Veni, Sancte. 

Immediately after the Office of the Holy Ghost, 
follows the second Spiritual Reading designated for 
each day, in this volume, page 209, etc. Veni, Sancte, 
omitted. 

10.30 : Meditation, until a few minutes before 
half-past eleven : Conclusion and particular ex- 
amen, as usual ; then, dinner, during which the 
greatest modesty, silence, and recollection should 
be observed, with strict attention to the reading. 
This reading is to be selected from the Life of St. 
Vingent, of Mademoiselle Le Gras, of those Sisters 
of Charity most distinguished for their piety ; or, 



8 REGULATIONS FOB THE RETREAT. 

from the Letters and Advices of St. Vincent and 
of Mademoiselle Le Gras ; or even from some of 
the Circulars of the Superiors General, and of the 
Superioresses of the Company. 

On leaving the refectory, the Da pacem with the 
prayer, is said, without, however, adding the decade 
of the chaplet. Then, recess until one o'clock. 

During this recess, the Sisters may occupy them- 
selves interiorly with the things of God, but in a ' 
less serious manner than during the rest of the day. 
They may also engage in some light work which 
does not require much application of mind. 

P. M. 

1 o^clock : Veniy Sande, and Mary, conceived 
without sin, thrice repeated, and the chaplet ; the 
offering of the chaplet is made kneeling ; after the 
announcement of the first mystery, the Sisters re- 
main seated until the Litany, which is said kneeling. 
After the chaplet, Veni, Sancte, and Mary, conceived 
without sin, thrice repeated ; and the : Third read- 
ing : Common Rules, indicated for each day in the 
Order of Readings, page 209, etc., of this volume. 

2 o'clock : Conference, followed by the Act of 
Adoration, and fifteen minutes' reflection upon the 
subject treated. 

3.15 : Veni, Sancte, and Mary, conceived with- 
out sin, thrice repeated : the Consideration, which 



KEGULATIONS FOR THE RETREAT. d 

should be read as the meditation, but with shorter 
reflections after each point. Then, the Litany of 
St. Vincent, a Pater and Ave for the two Families 
and for the poor. 

4.15 : Veni, Sancte, and Mary^ conceived with- 
out sin, thrice repeated ; a Pater and Ave for those 
recommended to our prayers, and the : Fourth 
reading upon the subject indicated for each day of 
the Retreat, page 209, etc., of this volume. 

5 o'clock : Meditation until a few minutes before 
six o'clock, when the particular examen is made, 
followed by supper. Grace, as at dinner. 

After supper, recess until seven o'clock. 

7 o'clock : Veni, Sancte, and Mary, conceived 
without sin, thrice repeated : Repetition of Medita- 
tion, except on Sundays and Festivals, should any 
occur during the Retreat. 

7.30 : Evening prayers ; reading of the subject 
of meditation for the next day ; then, retiring. 

On the last day of the Retreat, the Sister ap- 
pointed to read the evening meditation, concludes 
the reading of the third point at the Nota^ which 
precedes the little act of consecration to the Blessed 
Virgin. 

Before the conclusion of the meditation, the Sister 
who conducts the Retreat, makes this act of con- 
secration aloud. 

The next morning, the Sisters assemble, as usual, 
in the Retreat room, for the morning exercises, to 



10 BEGULA.TIONS FOR THE RETREAT. 

which is added the offering of the chaplet. Imme- 
diately after Holy Mass and thanksgiving, the Sister 
who conducts the Retreat, terminates it, by the Act 
of Consecration to the Sacred Heart, and the other 
prayers designated in this volume, page 203. 

Important Observations. 

1. It may happen, in some particular circum- 
stances, that the Conferences or other exercises 
cannot take place at the time prescribed in the Regu- 
lations ; Our Most Honored Father then authorizes 
a change of hour, without, however, omitting any 
exercise. 

2. Having abridged the Meditations, Considera- 
tions, and Spiritual Readings, so as not to exceed 
the time allotted for them, Our Most Honored 
Father recommends that nothing further be re- 
trenched therefrom. 

3. When a Sister is prevented from making the 
Annual Retreat with her companions at the House, 
or in another place, she should not, on this account, 
consider herself dispensed, but she should make it 
privately. This is an important point of the Com- 
mon Rules which St. Vincent strongly recommends 
in several of his Conferences ; consequently, it is 
the duty of the Sister Servants to see that it is 
observed : the case is the same, and with far 
greater reason, should an entire House be in 



REGULATIONS FOR THE RETREAT. 1 1 

similar circumstances. The Sisters who make the 
Retreat privately, should follow the order pre- 
scribed in the Regulations; substituting the Instruc- 
tions by reading the two Conferences appointed 
for each day, and which will be found in the 
Third Volume of the Conferences, new Edition, 
1846: 

First day. — Morning : Upon Insensibility with 
regard to the things of Salvation. 
Evening: Upon Confession. 
Second day. — Morning : Upon a good and a bad 
Conscience. 
Evening : Upon Tepidity and the 
means of avoiding it. 
Third day. — Morning : Upon the Particular Judg- 
ment. 
Evening : Upon Holy Communion. 

Fourth day. — Morning: On Compunction of Heart. 

Evening: Upon the Necessity of 

laboring for our Sanctification. 

Fifth day. — Morning : Upon Fidelity to Vows. 

Evening : Upon Poverty. 
Sixth day. — Morning: Upon Obedience. 

Evening : Upon Meekness towards 
the Poor. 
Seventh day. — Morning : Upon the Holy Rules. 
Evening: Upon Simplicity. 



12 REGULATIONS FOK THE RETREAT. 

Eighth day. — Morning: Upon Humility. 

Evening : Upon the Union which 
should exist among the Sisters of 
Charity. 



MEDITATIONS 

For the Annual Retreat 

OF THE 

SISTERS OF CHARITY. 



Pkayees ^or the Opening of the Retreat. 

Veni, Creator Spiritus, 
Mentes tuorura visita, 
Imple superna gratia, 
Quae tu creasti pectora. 

Qui diceris Paraclitus, 
Altissimi donum Dei, 
Fons vivus, ignis, charitas, 
Et spiritalis unctio. 

Tu septiformis munere, 
Digitus Paternse dexterae ; 
Tu rite promissum Patris, 
Sermone ditans guttura. 

Accende lumen sensibus I 
Infunde amorem cordibus: 
Infirma nostri corporis 
Virtute firmans perpeti. 

Hostem repellas longius, 
Pacemque dones protinus : 
Ductore sic te praevio 
Vitemus omne noxium. 

13 



14 PRAYERS FOR THE OJPEXIXG OP THE tlETREAT. 

Per te sciamus da Patrem, 
Noscamus atque Filium ; 
Teque utriusque Spiritum 
Credamns omni tempore. 

{Last stanza— from Trinity {From Easter until Eve 

Sunday to Easter.) of Trinity Sunday.) 

Deo Patri sit gloria, Deo Patri sit gloria, 

Ejusque soli Filio, Et Filio qui a mortuis 

Cum Spiritu Paraclito, Surrexit, ac Paraclito, 

Nunc et per omne^seculum. In saeculorum ssecula. 

Amen. Amen, 

V. Emitte Spiritum tuum et creabuntur ; 
B. Et renovabis faciem terrae. 

Oremus. 

Deijs, qui corda fidelium Sancti Spiritus illustratione docu- 
isti ; da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere, et de ejus semper 
consolatione gaudere. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. 

B. Amen. 

Aye, maris stella, 
Dei Mater alma, 
Atque semper virgo, 
Felix coeli porta. 

Sumens illud Ave 
Gabrielis ore, 
Funda nos in pace, 
Mutans Evse nomen. 

Solve vincla reis, 
Profer lumen csecis ; 
Mala nostra pelle 
Bona cuncta posce. 

Monstra te esse matrem ; 
Sumat per te preces 
Qui pro nobis natus, 
Tulit esse tuus. 



PEAYEHS FOR THE 0I>ENING OF THE RETEEAT. 15 

Virgo singularis, 
Inter omnes mitis, 
Nos culpis solutos, 
Mites fac et castos. 

Vitam prsesta puram, 
Iter para tutum ; 
Ut videntes Jesum, 
Semper collsetemur. 

Sit laus Deo Patri, 
Summo Christo decus, 
Spiritui Sancto ; 
Tribus honor unus. Amen. 

V, Diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis. 

M. Propterea benedixit te Deus in aeternum. 

Oremus. 

Concede nos famulos tuos, qusesumus, Domine Deus, per- 
petua mentis et corporis sanitate gaudere; et gloriosa beatae 
Mariae semper Virginis intercessione, a presenti liberari tris- 
titia, et seterna perfrui Isetiti^. 

O Mary, conceived without sin :— three times. 

To St. Joseph. 

Sanctissim^ Genetricis tuae Sponsi, quaesumus, Domine, 
mentis adjuvemur; ut quod possibilitas nostra non obtinet, 
ejus nobis intercessione donetur. 

To St. Vincent. 

Detjs, qui ad saltitera pauperum, et cleri disciplinam, novam 
in Ecclesia tua per Beatum Vincentium Familiam Congregasti: 
da, quaesumus, ut eodem nos quoque spiritu ferventes, et am^- 
mus quod amavit, et quod docuit oper^mur. 

Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum, qui 
tecum vivit et regnat in unitate ejusdem Spiritus Sancti Deus, 
per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen. 



16 EVE OF THE RETREAT. 

MEDITATION 
For the Eve of the Retreat. 

( When it does not open icith an Instruction.) 



First Point. Motives to induce you to make the 
Retreat well, — The first motive is, that God calls you 
to it, and asks that you neglect none of the means 
that may insure its success. The Retreat is a grace 
of predilection ; if you abuse it, you will draw upon 
yourself the malediction of God; and, instead of 
being the basis of your salvation, the Retreat, per- 
haps, will be the cause of your eternal damnation ! 
Enter upon it, therefore, with an earnest desire to 
do all that God requires of you. 

The second motive which should urge you to make 
the Retreat well, is, the great need you have of it. 
Consider attentively, on the one hand, the holiness 
of your Vocation, and, on the other, the condition 
of your soul ; and you will acknowledge that you 
are still very far from the perfection which our 
Lord demands of you. Now, in the mind of God, 
this Retreat is destined to re-instate you in fervor ; 
for, St. Vincent tells us: ^^Of all the means which 
God provides for souls, to reform the disorders of 
their life, none has produced more efficacious, more 
marvelous results than that of the exercises of the 



EVE OF THE RETREAT. 17 

Retreat/^ Be, therefore, fully convinced that during 
these days of retirement, you will receive from the 
liberality of God, special graces that will enable you 
to repair the past, and to do better in future. 

Consider, in the third place, that this Retreat 
may be your last. Several of your companions who 
made the Retreat a year ago, have been summoned 
before the tribunal of God : who knows, if it may 
not be the same with you, after this one ! 

In fine, consider how precious are the fruits of a 
Retreat well made. The eyes of heaven and of 
earth are fixed upon you at this moment, to know 
what they may expect from you. In heaven, Jesus 
Christ, the Immaculate Mary, the holy Angels, all 
the Saints, particularly St. Vincent, conjure you to 
correspond to the designs of God upon you. On 
earth, multitudes of afflicted creatures extend their 
arms towards you, supplicating you to fill your 
heart with the spirit of God, that you may impart 
it to them, and become for them a source of 
salvation. 

How powerful are these motives, to induce you 
to make this Retreat with joy, fervor, and gratitude ! 

Second Point. The End you should propose to 
yourself. — The Retreat does not consist merely in 
performing various exercises of piety, in observing 
silence, listening to holy instructions, in spiritual 
readings, and fervent meditations : these means are 
necessary to make the Retreat well, but they are 
not, properly speaking, the end of the Retreat. 
2 



18 EVE OF THE RETREAT. 

What, then, is the end of the Retreat? It is to 
discover all your faults, to ascertain the source from 
which they spring, their fatal consequences, and the 
remedies proper to be applied ; to call to your mind 
the obligations which your Vocation imposes upon 
you, and the virtues you should practise ; to excite 
within you an earnest desire to faithfully correspond 
to the designs of God upon you ; to adopt the 
necessary means to advance in the path of perfection 
and in the spirit of your Vocation. The end of the 
Retreat, is, to renew your fervor, to divest yourself 
of the old man, to clothe yourself with the new 
man, who is created injustice and holiness of truth. 

But, to obtain these happy results, you must, 
first, purify your soul from its stains, by a good 
confession; you must deplore all your infidelities 
in the bitterness of your soul, and take strong 
resolutions to watch over yourself, that you may 
not relapse into them. You must, then, apply 
yourself to acquire all the perfection to which you 
are called. 

But this demands great attention and serious 
labor. You must enter into yourself and carefully 
examine: 1. In what manner you fulfil the obli- 
gations you have contracted at the holy Altar, 
and so many times renewed. 2. Examine, with 
regard to your Holy Rules, to see if you are faithful 
in observing them. 3. Examine yourself in regard 
to the spirit of your Vocation, to ascertain if you 
possess the virtues which should characterize a good 



EVE OF THE RETREAT. 19 

Sister of Charity. 4. In fine, examine yourself in 
relation to all your duties ; reflect on all your 
obligations, one after the other, and take the resolu- 
tion to correct all that you find defective in your- 
self. But, where is the light to aid you in dispelling 
the darkness that conceals the state of your con- 
science? This light will be found in the maxims 
of Jesus Christ, and in the admirable instructions 
left you by St. Vincent. . . . This is what you have 
to do during this Retreat ; see if you are disposed 
to undertake so important a task ; beg of God to 
grant you the proper dispositions if you are not 
already in them, or to strengthen you therein if, 
happily, you possess them. 

Third Point. Means of making the Retreat 
well, — These means are of two kinds : the one 
interior, the other exterior. First, the interior 
means. 1. To enter upon the Retreat with great 
fervor and joy of heart, for the Lord loves the 
cheerful giver. Moreover, is it not an unspeakable 
happiness to entertain yourself with God? 2. To 
conceive an ardent desire to reform your life, to 
advance in virtue, and to profit by this Retreat ; to 
amend your defects, and to labor earnestly, here- 
after, for the acquisition of all virtues. 3. Great 
generosity in making all the sacrifices God may 
demand of you. 4. Not to seek sensible devotion, 
for the success of the Retreat does not depend upon 
this ; not to yield to discouragement, should you 
experience only aridity. 5. To entertain within 



20 EVE OF THE RETREAT. 

yourself, an earnest spirit of prayer; having fre- 
quent recourse to God, by fervent aspirations, 
addressing yourself to the divine Goodness with 
truly filial confidence. A last, but most efficacious 
means, is, to place your Retreat under tlie special 
protection of the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, and 
St. Vincent, that they may obtain for you the grace 
of making it profitably. 

Consider now, the exterior means : 1. Entire 
solitude, or profound recollection. God is not in 
commotion, and He leads you into solitude that He 
may speak to your heart. You should, then, have 
no communication with persons not engaged with 
you in the Retreat : you should consider yourself as 
alone with God. Shun, therefore, all distracting 
thoughts, and establish yourself in perfect recol- 
lection. Hence, the importance of silence, which 
you should not interrupt without absolute neces- 
sity ; and, even in that case, you should speak but 
little, and in a low voice. 2. Great modesty, par- 
ticularly with regard to the eyes; for it is certain, 
that the demon often avails himself of our curiosity 
to introduce distraction into the mind. 3. Exact 
fidelity to the Regulations of the Retreat, which 
you should consider as the expression of the will of 
God, and an essential condition to draw His grace 
upon you. In fine, a last means, which will be 
very useful, is, to offer to God, daily, some little 
mortification, and practise some penance, to incline 



EVE OF THE EETEEAT. 21 

Him, thereby, to pardon your sins, and grant you 
all the graces you need. 

These are the principal means you should em- 
ploy ; if you are faithful in putting them in prac- 
tice, you will derive the greatest advantage from 
your Retreat. 



22 FIRST DAY. 



FIRST DAY. 



First Meditation. 
On Creation, 

First Point. The benefit of Creation, — Of our- 
selves we are nothiDg, and from all eternity we were 
simply nothing. God, who had no need of us, gave 
us our being without any merit on our part. Crea- 
tion, therefore, is a benefit wholly gratuitous. But, 
how precious is this benefit ! — our very existence : our 
soul with its faculties, our body with its senses. 
God has created us to His image and likeness ; He 
has given us an understanding to know Him, a heart 
to love Him, a will and a body to serve Him. 
Moreover, by a singular effect of His goodness, we 
have been elevated to a supernatural state, that we 
may possess God in heaven for all eternity, if, dur- 
ing life, we profit by the graces which He vouchsafes 
to shed continually upon us. Not only has God 
created us, but He preserves our being. Each 
instant of our existence is a new benefit added to 
thousands of others ; and we may truly say, that 
He gives us life each day and moment. 

Oh ! how should our hearts exult with joy, when 
we think of the nobility of our origin ! What 
gratitude do we not owe to God, who thought of us 
when we were not ; who was pleased to give us a 



FIRST MEDITATION. 23 

being, and who daily bestows so many marks of 
benevolence in the numberless gifts He confers upon 
us ! But, what have we hitherto done to testify our 
gratitude to God ? Alas ! if we reflect upon our 
life, we shall discover that we have not known how 
to appreciate so great a favor. Let us humble our- 
selves profoundly at the sight of our ingratitude, 
and consider what we should do for the future. 

Second Point. The end of our Creation, — God 
has not created us for transitory honors, for perishable 
riches, for pleasures that are never free from bitter- 
ness; He has not created us to lead, here below, an 
easy and agreeable life : He has created us for 
Himself: as He is our first Beginning, He is also 
our last End. God has created us and placed us 
in this world, that we might know Him, love Him, 
and serve Him ; and thereby, deserve to possess Him 
eternally in Heaven. Oh ! how great and noble is 
this end ! But oh ! what a frightful disorder, should 
we refuse God the love we owe Him by so many titles! 
and if, instead of seeking Him in all things, we seek 
ourselves or creatures ! Ah ! have we not done this 
many times ? How often have we not refused obedi- 
ence to God ? How often have we not withdrawn 
from Him ! How many times have we not given 
the preference to the creature and despised the Creator! 
What a subject of confusion for us ! Ah ! we must, 
in the sincerity of our heart, ask Him to pardon us, 
and promise Him that, for the future, we will be more 
faithful, and submit to His holy will which directs 



24 FIRST DAY. 

all things for our good. There is nothing more 
honorable^ nothing more advantageous for us^ than 
to attach ourselves to God and serve Him ; whereas, 
on the contrary, nothing more degrades us, than to 
withdraw from Him, to attach ourselves to creatures. 

Thied Point. The necessity of aspiring to the End 
for which we have been created, — What will be the 
result of our fidelity in aspiring to the end of our 
Creation by a good use of the means which God has 
given us? The result will be most happy and con- 
soling for us, for thereby, we shall obtain the pos- 
session of God ; for this is the recompense He has 
promised to all who faithfully serve Him : I, myself, 
will be thy reward exceeding great ; whereas, on the 
contrary, He threatens with eternal chastisements 
those who deviate from this end. It is, therefore, an 
obligation for us to do what God demands of us ; our 
eternal happiness or misery depends upon it ; conse- 
quently, we cannot hesitate ; we must make every 
effort to attain the end for which we have been 
created. 

But, O Lord, is this what I have hitherto done ? 
Thou hast called me to reign with Thee in heaven ; 
Thou hast promised me a kingdom of which death 
cannot deprive me ; — a kingdom, in which all the 
desires of my heart will be fully satisfied ; — a king- 
dom, in comparison with which, all the kingdoms 
of the earth are nothing ; and all that Thou requirest 
of me, to put me in possession of so great a happiness 
and glory, is, to love and serve Thee ; whilst Thou 



I 



FIEST MEDITATION. 25 

dost threaten me with the most terrible penalties, 
if I do not labor to secure this inestimable good. 
And, nevertheless, until now, I have manifested 
only indifference for the promises Thou hast made 
me ! I have preferred to disgrace and degrade 
myself by seeking to gratify the passions of my 
heart ; I have sought for miserable satisfaction from 
creatures, and have exposed myself to be eternally 
lost ! Ah ! from this moment, I begin to under- 
stand the folly of my past conduct; from this 
instant I wish to love and serve Thee ; from this 
instant I give myself to Thee entirely and forever ! 
I beg Thy pardon a thousand times for the con- 
tempt I have had for Thy promises; and I pray 
Thee to strengthen me in the resolution I now 
make to give myself unreservedly to Thee, and 
never to lose sight of the end for which Thou hast 
created me. Grant me grace to labor constantly to 
accomplish Thy will upon earth, that I may thereby 
merit the happiness of seeing and possessing Thee 
for all eternity in heaven. 



Second Meditation. 

On our Vocation to Christianity. 

First Point. The excellence of our Vocation to 
Christianity, — To form some idea of the inestimable 
favor which God conferred upon us in permitting us 
to be born in the bosom of the true Religion, let us 



26 FIRST DAY. 

consider that nothing is greater than a Christian, 
when viewed with the eyes of faith. Oh ! how 
admirable are the wonders operated in that regenera- 
tion which takes place, when the baptismal waters 
flow upon our head. At that moment we are puri- 
fied from all our stains ; and, in partaking of the 
divine nature, we become children of God, members 
of the mystical body of Jesus Christy and temples 
of the Holy Spirit. At that moment, we acquire 
a right to all the graces and treasures which our 
Lord has confided to His Church. We receive the 
life of grace, which is the source of the life of glory. 
" Now, says St. John, we are the children of God ; 
but, we do not see what we shall one day be : we 
know that we shall be like to Him, for we shall see 
Him as He is.^^ 

Behold what God reserves for us in eternity ; and, 
while waiting to bestow upon us this great glory. 
He manifests in a thousand ways, that He regards 
us as His children : He provides for all our wants ; 
He has given us Angels for our Guardians, Saints 
for our protectors, and Mary for our Mother. He 
has given us His flesh to eat, and His word to serve 
us as a flambeau. Has not the Apostle reason to 
call us a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a ransomed 
people ? Should we be astonished after this, to hear 
St. Leo, on addressing a Christian, say : " Know 
thy dignity, O Christian, and strive to live in a 
manner conformable thereto ! ^^ And is it surprising 
that the first Christians when called to confess the 



SECOND MEDITATION. 27 

faith before Pagan tribunals, made no other answer 
to the questions put to them concerning their age, 
country, and condition, than this : I am a Christian ? 
No, we need not be astonished at this; but what 
should be a subject of amazement and cover us with 
confusion, is, that, heretofore, we have so little 
appreciated this signal favor ! Let us ask of God 
to pardon our negligence ; let us implore Him to 
make us comprehend the value of this grace ; that, 
henceforth, we may live only to testify our gratitude 
to Him. 

Second Point. To what does the Quality of 
Christian oblige us? — It obliges us: 1. To avoid 
all kinds of sin ; 2, to adopt the maxims of Jesus 
Christ as the rule of our conduct; 3, to imitate 
this divine Saviour ; 4, to live of His divine life, 
in such a manner as to be able to say with St. Paul : 
" I live, now, not I ; but Jesus Christ liveth in 
me." These obligations are implicitly comprised 
in these words of the great Apostle: ^^All you 
who have been baptized in Jesus Christ, have been 
clothed with Jesus Christ." Can there be anything 
more honorable than to follow the counsels of such 
a Master, and to walk in His footsteps ? 

But, how does our life compare with the maxims 
and examples of Jesus Christ? Ah ! what excuse 
shall we allege in our own justification, if we do not 
imitate this divine Saviour ? Is there anything 
difficult in His law ? To what is it reduced ? To 
this : namely, to love God. And what is necessary 



28 FIEST DAY. 

to become a good Christian ? To have a good heart, 
that is all. For, if we have a good heart, how can 
we refrain from loving a God who has loved us so 
much, and lavished so many benefits upon us ? At 
the consideration of such favors and graces, should 
not our hearts feel impelled to love so good a God ? 
He is the best, the most tender of Fathers, who 
promises to reward our fidelity with the most abun- 
dant blessings in this life, and to give us heaven 
with all its glory and felicity, hereafter. Ah ! Lord, 
grant that I may never lose sight of the reward 
Thou hast in reserve for me ; penetrate me with the 
dread of Thy judgments, that I may fear to dis- 
please Thee, and generously embrace all that is most 
agreeable to Thee. 

Thikd Point. The means which God gives us to 
comply icith the obligations imposed by Christianity, 
— In the first place, God has given us His word as 
a flambeau to enlighten us, to point out those paths 
wherein we should walk, and those which we should 
avoid. How do we profit by this means of salvation 
and perfection ? Has not our heart often resembled 
the highway mentioned in the Gospel, upon which, 
indeed, the seed fell; but it was soon trodden down 
by the passer-by, or carried away by the birds of 
the air ? Ah ! what a misfortune thus to abuse the 
word of God ! Secondly, Jesus Christ has estab- 
lished in His Church the Sacraments, as so many 
channels to communicate the waters of grace to our 
souls. What abundance of grace in the Sacrament 



SECOND MEDITATION. 29 

of the Eucharist, since we receive therein Jesus 
Christ, the Author and source of all grace ! But 
how do we approach these divine sources ? What 
fruit do we derive from the Sacraments which we so 
frequently receive? Thirdly: Another means given 
us by God, is prayer : ^^Ask,^^ says He to us, ^^and 
you shall receive ; seek, and you shall find ; knock, 
and it shall be opened to you/^ And elsewhere: ^^AU 
that you will ask the Father in my name, He will 
give it to you/^ Yes, all without exception. Behold, 
then, a fountain always open to us, from which we 
may derive all we need. Ah ! Lord, if I do not 
fulfil my obligations can I say that assistance is 
wanting ? I have only to ask for the graces that 
are necessary for me, assured of obtaining them, 
provided I sincerely desire them. Fourthly, God 
has also given us the example of the Saints who 
have preceded us, and opened to us the way to per- 
fection. With what zeal should not the consideration 
of so many noble examples inspire us ! 

Our Lord has given us an infinity of other special 
means, which His Providence dispenses each day 
and moment with a goodness truly paternal. It 
remains for us to profit by them, if we wish to avoid 
the misfortune that threatens all who do not obey 
the Gospel ; that is, who do not live as true Chris- 
tians. Ah ! Lord, I must confess before heaven and 
earth, that I have never yet comprehended the great- 
ness of the favor Thou didst confer on me by calling 
me to Christianity, preferably to so many others 



30 FIRST DAY. 

whom Thou hast left in the darkness of idolatry, 
and who would have made far better use of it than I 
have done. I acknowledge that, heretofore, I have 
not served Thee as a well-beloved child should serve 
the best of Fathers. I confess that I have been 
unfaithful to all the obligations which I contracted 
at the baptismal font, when I had the happiuess of 
becoming Thy child ; I acknowledge that I have 
abused the means Thou gavest me to secure my 
salvation ; I blush at my infidelities, and wish it 
were in my power to expiate them with tears of 
blood. I deplore the day on which I had the mis- 
fortune of forgetting so many holy engagements ; 
and from this moment, I take the resolution to repair 
the past, by leading a truly Christian life, — laboring 
to walk in Thy footsteps, and putting in practice all 
the truths thou hast taught me. And, although 
after such abuse of Thy liberality, I do not deserve 
to receive any more favors, yet, I have the sweet 
confidence that Thou wilt graciously listen to the 
desires of my heart, and assist me to keep these holy 
resolutions. 

Consideration. 

On the Sanctification of our Ordinary Actions. 

First Point. How important it is to sanctify 
each of our Actions. — 1. Fidelity in the performance 
of all our actions, is a powerful means to draw down 
the benedictions of God upon us. There is no 



CONSIDERATION. 31 

action, how small soever, that may not become 
agreeable to God, if accomplished with the intention 
of pleasing Him ; and which may not, likewise, 
become for us a source of grace and blessing. We 
may say, that actions well performed have the same 
efficacy before God as prayer ; hence, a Doctor of 
the Church says : ^' He who labors, prays." Is not 
this a consoling thought for a Sister of Charity, 
called, as she is, by her Vocation, to labor continu- 
ally for God ; and is it not well calculated to 
animate her with an earnest desire to perform all 
her actions in the best manner possible? 

2. This fidelity is also an infallible means of 
arriving at high perfection. Perfection does not 
consist in continual prayer, nor in performing 
extraordinary works ; but, in doing all our actions 
well. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who came upon 
earth to be our model, willed that this testimony 
should be rendered of Him : He hath done all 
things well. The day will come when we shall 
behold in heaven persons little known upon earth, 
who lived, apparently, in a very ordinary manner, 
but who will be far more elevated in glory than 
others who created a great sensation during their 
life, by the wonderful works they performed ; the 
former will have attained a higher degree of glory, 
because they increased the merit of their good deeds 
by the greater purity of their intention. 

3. Another powerful motive to encourage us in 
the well-performance of our actions, is, that they 



32 FIRST DAY. 

are a source of merit. God will recompense those 
actions only, which are done for Him ; consequently, 
if we act without any intention, as negligent persons 
frequently do ; or with an evil intention, as those 
who seek themselves in their actions, we have no 
reward to expect. Jesus Christ Himself warns us 
of this in His Gospel, when, speaking of the Scribes 
and Pharisees who made long prayers, macerated 
their bodies by rigid fasts, and gave abundant alms 
through ostentation. He says : " Amen, amen, I say 
to you, they have received their reward. ^^ Oh ! 
how many works in which we now take compla- 
cency, — which attract the praise of men, — will be 
rejected on the day of judgment, as works of 
iniquity ! What grief will not a Sister of Charity 
experience when she perceives, but too late, that she 
has sown, to gather nothing ; and that, after much 
toil and trouble, she finds her hands empty of good 
works ! But, on the contrary, if we endeavor to 
perform all our actions well, we shall then have 
great reason to rejoice, because we shall receive a 
reward even for the smallest in appearance, — were it 
only a cup of cold water given in the name of the 
Lord. Oh ! how much merit we may daily and 
hourly acquire, if we are only faithful to perform 
well all that we do ! Each action will be for us the 
source of a new degree of glory, if our intention is 
pure. It then rests with us to enhance the beauty 
of the celestial crown in reserve for us, and to 
augment the glory that awaits us in eternity. 



COKSIDERATION. 33 

What a misfortune, should we lose this precious 
advantage ! 

Second Point. The Conditions necessary to 
sanctify our' Actions. — 1. Our actions are meritori- 
ous for heaven only when performed in the state 
of grace ; for a soul defiled by mortal sin, is dead 
in the sight of God ; consequently, it can produce 
no living fruit. 2. In order that our actions be 
holy, they must be free from anything evil in 
themselves or in the circumstances connected with 
them. For example, performing extraordinary 
penances against the intentions of Superiors ; en- 
gaging in pious exercises, at a time when other 
duties are to be fulfilled ; giving money or clothing 
to the poor without having asked the requisite per- 
mission ; — all these actions would be against the 
will of God ; consequently, they could not be 
agreeable to Him. 3. In order to sanctify our 
actions, we must have a pure intention ; that is, 
we must propose to ourselves a good and super- 
natural end : — the glory of God, the sanctification 
of our soul, the edification of our neighbor. It is 
not necessary that this intention be actual, explicit ; 
it is sufficient that it be virtual and implied, com- 
prised in the constant and general intention to please 
God. However, it is much more advantageous fre- 
quently to renew this intention ; because, on account 
of our inconstancy, we are often exposed to the 
danger of losing sight of our resolutions, of seeking 
ourselves, and taking complacency in what we do. 
3 



34 FIEST DAY. 

We must, therefore, be vigilant, and promptly re- 
ject every sentiment of vanity that may arise in the 
mind ; and continue with peaceful firmness to dis- 
avow such thoughts when they are persistent. 

4. That our actions may acquire a high degree 
of perfection, we should perform them in a spirit of 
faith, and in union with God. The Holy Spirit 
Himself invites us to this : Walk before me and be 
perfect ; that is, perform in the presence of God and 
in union with God, whatever you do, and you will 
attain perfection. This is what our divine Saviour 
did during His mortal life. By acting in this 
manner, we shall also imitate the Angels who labor 
continually for God and in union with Him; and if, 
in the course of our actions any imperfection should 
glide in, we shall immediately perceive it, and 
thereby prevent the merit of our works from being 
diminished. 

Let us enter into ourselves, and examine if we 
are faithful in fulfilling the conditions necessary for 
the sanctification of our actions. Do we not in 
them frequently seek to gain the esteem of creatures, 
or to avoid the reproaches of Superiors ! Alas ! 
how many actions are performed mechanically, 
through routine, from a purely natural motive, 
without any reference to God ! Ah ! henceforth, let 
us strive more earnestly to sanctify all our actions. 

Third Point. Means that may aid us to sanctify 
our Actions. — The first means, is, to raise our mind 
and heart to God at the beginning of our principal 



CONSIDERATION. 35 

actions, in order to obtain the grace to perform them 
well. This practice is earnestly recommended to us 
by St. Vincent, and one in which he never failed ; 
hence, the Holy Spirit imparted to him the strongest 
lights, and directed him in all his ways. A Sister 
of Charity who will faithfully imitate him in this 
respect, will reap the same advantages. 

The second means is, to reanimate our spirit of 
faith, making some pious reflections before com- 
mencing the action : for example, we may say to 
ourselves : God has bestowed upon me so many 
graces, should I not do everything to please Him ? — 
If I sanctify this action, I shall acquire a new de- 
gree of glory for all eternity ; could I neglect to 
secure this happiness? — I am about to make my 
meditation, to assist at Holy Mass ; how happy I 
should consider myself to speak with our Lord, to 
assist at His death on Calvary, which scene is about 
to be renewed on the Altar ! — How could I yield to 
negligence in actions so holy in themselves, and so 
profitable for the salvation of my soul ? — I am going 
to wait upon the poor ; it is Jesus Christ whom I 
shall serve in their person : oh ! with what love, 
with what respect I should minister to them ! 

A third means, is, to be faithful in oflFering to 
God every morning, all the actions of the day; 
testifying to Him that we have no desire but to 
please Him ; and that we reject, beforehand, all 
thoughts of complacency and self-seeking that might 
surprise us. We make this act, it is true, but, in 



36 FIRST DAY. 

what manner ? ... It is not sufficient to offer all 
our actions to God in the morning, we should also 
renew this offering at the commencement of each 
action, particularly, before the principal ones ; and 
also, when the clock strikes. Let us make every 
effort to establish ourselves in this practice; she who 
has contracted the habit of it, has found a great 
treasure. If we desire to render our actions still 
more agreeable to God, let us not be content to 
testify that we do them for Him ; but, let us tell 
Him that by each of our actions, we desire to give 
Him as much glory as the Angels and Saints render 
Him in heaven. The more elevated our intention, 
the more meritorious will our actions be ; for God 
has regard to our desires when they proceed from a 
sincere heart. 

These are the principal means we should adopt 
for the sanctification of our actions : let us examine 
if we have employed them during the past ; if we 
find that we have neglected to do so, let us resolve 
to be more faithful in future, that we may not lose 
the fruit of our good works ; but, that they may 
prove a source of glory and happiness to us for all 
eternity. 

Third Meditation. 

On the Benefit of our Vocation. 

First Point. The precious Advantages of our 
Vocation. — 1. It is sublime. Let us listen to St. 



THIRD MEDITATION. 37 

Vincent : ^^ The principal end for which God has 
called and assembled the Daughters of Charity, is 
to honor our Lord Jesus Christ as the source and 
model of all charity/^ Oh ! how beautiful, how 
noble, how exalted is this Vocation ! What a sub- 
ject of admiration and gratitude ! After the voca- 
tion to the Priesthood, is there, or can there be a 
more honorable, a more holy state than this? Let 
us humble ourselves profoundly, considering how 
unworthy we are of such a Vocation ; and let us 
ask of God to make us comprehend the excellence 
of it; that, during the remainder of our life, we 
may testify our gratitude to Him; and endeavor to 
live in a manner more in accordance with what so 
sublime a Vocation demands of us. 

2, Our Vocation, in separating us from the 
world, enables us to work out our salvation with 
greater security. To how many dangers were we 
not exposed in the midst of the world ! Ah ! it is 
not without reason that the world is compared to 
a stormy sea, whereon we are continually tossed 
about by tempests, ever in danger of perishing ! In 
the Community, we are, as it were, in the haven of 
salvation. Could our Lord Jesus Christ, who is so 
liberal in rewarding such as render Him the 
smallest services, be unmindful of those who conse- 
crate themselves to serve Him in the person of His 
members ? Ah ! had not St. Vincent reason to say, 
that he knew of no state in which salvation is more 
easily attained than in ours ? 



38 FIRST DAY. 

3. A Sister of Charity finds in her Vocation the 
most efficacious means to elevate her to a high 
degree of perfection, and to acquire vast treasures 
of merit for heaven. There is nothing more perfect 
than the works to which she devotes herself, for she 
has the happiness of doing what our Lord Jesus 
Christ did while on earth ; she has only to perform 
all her actions in a spirit of faith, and with the 
view of pleasing God : and this is very easy ; for, 
in fact, what is her life ? She lives only for God, 
she breathes but for Him. What are her occupa- 
tions ? Prayer, meditation, Holy Mass, spiritual 
readings, frequentation of the Sacraments, occupy a 
portion of her day ; the remainder is employed in 
the exercise of works of charity, continually assist- 
ing our Lord in the person of the poor. Ah ! what 
treasures of merit she daily amasses ! O my Saviour, 
who hast said in Thy Gospel, that a cup of cold 
water, given in Thy name, shall not lose its reward, 
what dost Thou not reserve for a good Sister of 
Charity ? Ah ! what cause have I not to humble 
myself before Thee, for having been called to such 
a Vocation ! Grant me the grace to appreciate as 
I should, this signal benefit, so that, hereafter, I 
may return Thee due thanks for Thy infinite good- 
ness towards me ! 

Second Point. Obligations of our Vocation, — 
1. We are obliged to labor for the acquisition of 
far higher perfection than if we had remained in the 
world. Our Lord, in calling us to the Community, 



THIRD MEDITATION. 39 

grants us special graces that we may procure greater 
glory to God, than the ordinary faithful. This 
divine Saviour has, therefore, the right to say to us, 
as to St. Peter : Lovest thou me more than these ? 
Consequently, it is a strict obligation for us to aspire 
to perfection ; and if, like to so many negligent 
Christians, we should limit ourselves to accomplish 
only what is absolutely necessary for salvation, we 
would be unworthy of our Vocation. 

2. It is also an obligation for us to acquire the 
perfection proper to our state ; that is to say, the 
spirit of our Vocation. Now, St. Vincent declares, 
that this spirit consists in performing all our exer- 
cises, both spiritual and corporal, in a spirit of 
humility, simplicity, and charity, and in union with 
those which our Lord Jesus Christ performed while 
on earth. We must, therefore, apply with particu- 
lar care, to the practice of those virtues which con- 
stitute the distinctive characteristic of a Daughter of 
Charity. In vain shall we wear the livery of our 
Vocation, if we are not animated with the spirit of 
our state, which is the interior habit wherewith we 
must be clothed. Now, are we closely united with 
our Lord ? Do we make His maxims the rule of 
our conduct? What advancement have we made in 
the practice of humility, simplicity, and charity? 

3. The four vows which we make in the Com- 
munity, are founded upon the Evangelical maxims, 
which, for the faithful at large, are only of counsel ; 
but for us, after making the vows, they are a strict 



40 FIRST DAY. 

and rigorous obligation binding the conscience. We 
must not confound a breach of the vow of poverty 
with a breach of Rule ; the wilful violation of this 
vow is a sin, and a mortal sin, if the matter is im- 
portant. In like manner, the service of the poor, to 
which we have engaged ourselves, is not a charitable 
work of supererogation, as for persons of the world ; 
it is for us an obligation ; and we cannot wilfully 
fail in it, without offending God more or less griev- 
ously, according to the magnitude of the matter. 

4. God also requires of us that we observe our 
Holy Rules ; although they are not the object of a 
vow, yet, by voluntarily failing in them, above all, 
habitually, we act against the designs of God ; we 
expose ourselves to the commission of many faults ; 
we place ourselves in the impossibility of fulfilling 
the obligations binding upon the conscience, and 
we scandalize our companions. Hence, theologians 
teach, that such conduct is not exempt from sin. 

Let us enter into ourselves, and examine how we 
discharge these duties. It is easy to fall into delu- 
sion ! The time of a Retreat is most favorable to 
dispel the darkness that obscures the mind. O my 
God, enlighten me, do not suffer me to live in false 
security. 

Third Point. The Means furnished by God to 
attain the end of our Vocation, — We are not able, of 
our own strength, nor even with ordinary graces, 
to acquire the degree of perfection to which we 
are called. But God never fails to furnish the 



THIED MEDITATION. 41 

special means that will enable us to respond to the 
designs He has upon us. The first means, is that 
designated as the grace of vocation. This is a 
light which the Holy Spirit sheds in our mind, to 
instruct us in regard to what relates to our Voca- 
tion ; it is a flame altogether divine, which He 
enkindles in our hearts to animate them with a 
holy ardor ; this grace of Vocation comprises num- 
berless other graces which we receive according to 
our needs, in the fulfilment of our duties, in sur- 
mounting the difficulties inseparable from our works; 
strengthening us in our design to devote ourselves 
to the service of the poor and sick. O my God, 
what a subject of consolation for me, to think that 
Thy grace is always with me, to enlighten, sustain, 
strengthen, and assist me, in overcoming the diffi- 
culties in my path ! Ah ! be forever blessed ! . . . 
3. Other means which God has given us, are 
the holy practices of piety which our Rule pre- 
scribes : meditation which we have the happiness 
of making twice a day, and from which we have the 
power to draw abundant graces ; the recitation of 
the Chaplet and other vocal prayers ; the practice of 
the presence of God ; our general and particular 
examens, so strongly recommended by St. Vincent, 
and which all the Saints used with so much profit ; 
besides many other little practices of devotion in use 
among us ; and, above all, the Sacraments of Penance 
and Holy Eucharist which we have the happiness 
of approaching so often. God does not cease to 



42 FIRST DAY. 

make us hear His voice, in order to withdraw us 
from evil and encourage us in good ; He speaks to 
us in a thousand different ways : in our conferences, 
in the advices we receive from our Superiors, in the 
warnings or encouragements they give us ; in good 
examples placed before us ; in our monthly Retreats, 
and, especially, in the Annual Retreat which we 
have the happiness of making ; and, finally, in each 
article of our Holy Rules. 

O my sweet Jesus, what more couldst Thou do 
for me ! What return shall I make Thee for the 
inestimable benefit of my Vocation to the Family of 
St. Vincent? I most humbly ask Thy pardon for 
not having corresponded, as I should have done, to 
Thy unspeakable goodness. I give Thee thanks for 
the lights thou hast imparted to me on this first day 
of the Retreat. Thy charity presses me to give 
myself unreservedly and forever to Thee. O Im- 
maculate Mother of our Saviour and my beloved 
Mother, glorious St. Joseph, blessed St. Vincent, 
obtain for me the grace of being, henceforth, faithful 
to this resolution ! 



FIRST MEDITATION. 43 



SECOND DAY. 



First Meditation. 

On Mortal Sin. 

First Point. The malice of Mortal sin. — What 
[was my conduct when I committed mortal sin? 1. 
I revolted against God. The Lord laid a command 
upon me, and I refused to obey Him, that I might 
gratify my passions. I said to God, if not in words, 
at least by my actions : It is useless for Thee to give 
me a law, to threaten me with the most terrible 
chastisements, to make me the most magnificent prom- 
ises : I know no other law than that of my passions, 
no other pleasure than that of satisfying them. 
How insulting to God, and what folly on my part ! 
How is it, that a worm of the earth should dare re- 
sist the Almighty, — Him who with one word makes 
the earth tremble to its very foundations? 2. I ren- 
dered myself gui Ity of the blackest ingratitude. Whom 
did I oflFend by my sins ? Alas ! the most tender of 
Fathers,who created me to His own image, redeemed 
me at the price of His precious Blood ; who has be- 
stowed so many benefits upon me ; who has for me a 
thousand times more love than the tenderest mother 
entertains for her dearest child. Instead of loving 
this bountiful God, I have lived only to grieve Him, 
and to fill His paternal heart with bitterness. Alas ! 



44 SECOND DAY. 

what baseness ! The Lord cannot but lament at the 
sight of such ingratitude : " Ye heavens/^ says He, 
'' listen to my voice, and you, O Earth, give ear. 
I have fed children, I have watched over them, and 
they have shown me only con tern pt.^^ 3. I crucified 
Jesus. O my soul, go to the foot of Calvary, and 
contemplate thy divine Saviour, fastened to the 
Cross, suspended on four wounds, suflFering in body 
and soul the most inconceivable torments ; ask Him 
the cause of His death, and He will answer : Thy 
sins are the cause. Oh ! what a crime, to crucify 
thy God ! Ah ! my soul, thou didst not think of 
this when thou wast offending thy God. Now, at 
least, comprehend the malice of sin, and deplore thy 
past infidelities. 

Second Point. Effects of Mortal sin. — 1. It 
gives death to the soul. God is the life of our soul, 
as the soul is the life of our body. When the body 
is deprived of life what does it become ? A corpse, 
exciting horror in all who behold it. Ah ! could 
we see the change operated in a soul that has the 
misfortune of committing a mortal sin, we would 
experience still greater horror. Ah ! come, holy 
Angels, and see if you can recognize the soul whose 
beauty once charmed you. And Thou, O my divine 
Saviour, who didst weep at the death of Lazarus, 
come, come, and weep anew ; for here is a death far 
more deserving of tears than that of Lazarus. Thou 
didst weep, also, on account of the misfortunes about 



FIRST MEDITATION. 45 

to fall upon ungrateful Jerusalem^ but here are 
misfortunes far more lamentable. 

2. Mortal sin incurs the most terrible chastise- 
ments. If we were conscious of all the evil that 
sin brings upon the soul, it would be impossible to 
console us ! '^ My tears/^ said the Prophet, " have 
become my daily food, because I heard a voice which 
said to me : Where is thy God ? ^^ Where was thy 
God, ungrateful soul, when thou didst offend Him? 
Ah ! thou hast lost Him ; He is far from thee ; He 
has abandoned thee, given thee up to thy enemies, 
who have come to load thee with chains ; thou hast 
become the slave of Satan. What a calamity, when 
God withdraws from a soul ! With Him all bless- 
ings are withdrawn ; and in retiring, He pours upon 
this soul the cup of His wrath ; for God abhors sin, 
and punishes it with severity. Let us call to mind 
the justice He exercised in regard to the rebel 
Angels and our first Parents; the entire world 
swallowed up by the waters of the deluge; the 
guilty cities consumed by fire from heaven ; and 
the many other chastisements by which our Lord 
has exercised vengeance against sinners. But, what 
is all this, in comparison with the justice He will 
exercise on the terrible day of judgment ! What is 
all this, in comparison with the rigor with which 
He punishes sin in hell ! 

O my God, what would have become of me, 
hadst Thou treated me as I deserve ! Ah ! I would 
already be with the dammed in hell, for I acknowl- 



46 SECOND DAY. 

edge that I have merited it. But why, O my God, 
hast Thou been so patient with me? Ah ! it is 

because Thou hast designs of mercy upon me. Never, 
then, my God, permit me to lose the remembrance 
of Thy bounty, that I may say with holy David : 
'^ I will sing eternally the praises of my God.'' 

Third Point. Consequences to be deduced from 
the Truths which ice have just considered, — First con- 
sequence. If we have the misfortune of being in 
the state of mortal sin, let us hasten to arise from it. 
We may be in illusion upon many points of the 
highest importance ; — illusions with regard to the 
beautiful virtue of chastity, obedience, charity, 
poverty, and service to the poor. Let us carefully 
examine ourselves ; and should we be in any doubt, 
let us seek for light from those who know our 
obligations. We may, also, be in illusion with 
regard to confessions badly made, from a want of 
sincerity ; we may have doubts without wishing to 
clear them up; but, why? Because we fear to 
discover the truth and be obliged to make in con- 
fession, humiliating avowals ! Although these doubts 
are sometimes but too well founded, yet, persons 
will remain entire years in this unhappy state, — 
frequently approaching the tribunal of Penance and 
the Holy Table, thus multiplying their sacrileges. 
O my God, grant me the grace to dispel these illu- 
sions, and never to relapse into them for the future ! 

Second consequence. We should grieve for the 
sins we have had the misfortune to commit, and 



FIEST MEDITATIOK. 47 

weep for them during the remainder of our life. 
Let no one say : God has pardoned me those sins. 
Who could ever have greater assurance of pardon 
than Magdalen, to whom our divine Saviour Him- 
self said : Many sins are forgiven her because she 
has loved much. Yet, we know how severe her 
penance was. We must, therefore, do penance; 
consequently, we ought to embrace with a holy joy, 
poverty, mortifications, privations, suflPerings, hu- 
miliations, contradictions ; and consider ourselves 
happy that God is pleased to give us occasions of 
satisfying His justice. Ah ! Lord, my sins have 
surpassed in number the hairs of my head. From 
this moment, I will devote myself to do penance 
for them ; I will think of my sins in the bitterness 
of my soul ; I will destroy this self-will which has 
been the source of all my wanderings ; but, above 
all, I will strive, henceforth, to avoid sin ; and not 
only will I eradicate it from my own heart, but I 
shall do all in my power to destroy it in others ; by 
so doing, to repair the faults which I have had the 
misfortune of committing. 

Second Meditation. 

On Venial Sin, 

First Point. Venial sin in itself. — Venial sin 
is commonly considered as a trifling matter ; but, if 
we well understood the nature of it, we would judge 



48 SECOND DAY. 

quite otherwise, and would take every precaution to 
avoid it. . . . How small soever the sin, it is always 
an oflFense to God. In committing it, we displease 
God ; not that we break absolutely with Him, but 
we do what we know will create a coolness between 
God and the soul. We do not extinguish the Holy 
Spirit within us, but we grieve Him. Therefore, 
since venial sin is an offense against God, we should 
fear it more than all the temporal evils that could 
fall upon us. For the smallest evil in regard to 
God, infinitely surpasses all the evil that regards 
only the creature. How light soever the sin be, 
there is no possible reason which could sanction the 
commission of it, unless it should cease to be sinful. 
Should there even be question of converting and 
saving the whole world, God would not have this 
effected, at the expense of the smallest lie ; He would 
consider Himself offended, notwithstanding the good 
operated. Should we even procure God all possible 
glory. He would not wish this glory on such a 
condition. He will have us even abandon the care 
of His glory, rather than commit the least sin. — 
How light soever we suppose a sin to be, it is of 
faith, that it will never enter with us, nor we with 
it, into the kingdom of heaven ; for nothing defiled 
shall ever be admitted into this heavenly abode. 
Even should we be otherwise laden with merits, 
all these merits and all the sanctity we may have 
acquired, will be in vain, if, on departing this life, 
our soul bears the stain of one venial sin which has 



SECOND MEDITATION. 49 

not been expiated by penance : this alone would be 
an obstacle to our beatitude and to the possession 
of God. It would be requisite that the soul, although 
just, holy, predestined, and worthy of God, should 
remain separated from Him until this sin be expiated. 

Second Point. Venial Sin in Sisters of Charity. 
— A Sister of Charity who voluntarily commits 
venial sin, is far more guilty than a person of the 
world, because she has received more light and grace 
to preserve herself from it. In her spiritual readings 
and in her meditations, she is continually reminded 
of the obligation of avoiding all that offends God ; 
hence, she cannot plead ignorance, forgetfulness, or 
inadvertence ; she sins, consequently, with full con- 
sciousness of the evil, and despite the remorse of 
her conscience. Moreover, how many means does 
she not find in her exercises of piety, and in the practice 
of our Holy Rules, to help her to avoid sin ! What a 
difference between her condition and that of persons 
in the world ! 

2. St. Vincent tells us, that the first end which a 
Daughter of Charity should propose to herself, is to 
love God in the highest degree. O my God, what 
an end ! But, is there anything more opposed to 
this end than an aflPection for sin, whatever it be ? 
How can I say that I love God in a sovereign degree, 
if He does not reign absolutely in my heart? And 
how can I flatter myself that He reigns absolutely 
in my heart, when I wilfully and frequently commit 
faults that displease Him? Can I say that I do 
4 



50 SECOND DAY. 

what is agreeable to God when I yield to so much 
dissipation of mind, to so many negligences in my 
office, to so many infractions of my Holy Rules ; 
when, instead of seeking His glory in all my actions, 
I seek only myself? O my God, how could I believe 
that I love Thee in the highest possible degree, when 
I perceive in myself that multitude of little passions 
which, like tyrants, rule over my heart ! Ah ! Lord, 
drive out these usurpers who have taken possession 
of my heart over which Thou only shouldst reign. 

3. A Sister of Charity ought to labor at her per- 
fection : this is a duty, an indispensable obligation 
for her. But how can I say I have a desire for my 
perfection, if I render myself guilty of so many 
faults ! The first disposition for attaining perfection, 
is to endeavor to free ourselves from our defects, 
and to entertain a horror for all kinds of sin. If 
we are not in this disposition, it is impossible for us 
to advance in virtue. Voluntary sins are so many 
chains that withhold us and prevent us from tend- 
ing to perfection. 

O my God, I now take the resolution to watch 
more attentively over myself henceforward ; and to 
struggle against my defects with more generosity 
than I have exercised during the past. 

Third Point. Venial sin in its effects. — First, it 
diminishes and destroys the beauty of the soul, so 
that it is no longer the object of God^s complacency 
as heretofore ; but, it becomes in His sight an object 
of disgust ; true, it is not dead, but its presence is 



SECOND MEDITATION. 51 

insupportable to Him. A single stain upon the soul, 
says St. Gregory Nazianzen, is a thousand times 
more loathsome than the most disgusting wounds 
of the body. Hence, there is a coldness between 
God and the soul ; it no longer receives those sweet 
communications which once were a consolation, a 
thousand times more delicious than all the joys of 
the world. We often complain of the aridity we 
experience in the service of God ; we would do 
better to humble ourselves profoundly, and acknowl- 
edge that our faults are the cause of it. If you wish 
God to treat you as a Father, show that you are 
His child ; if you wish to have part in the favors 
of the divine Spouse, show that you are His spouse. 

But what is still more alarming in regard to venial 
sin, is, that it insensibly leads to mortal sin. It is 
like a spark, which having been neglected, causes, at 
last, a fearful conflagration ; it may be compared to 
a slight indisposition which, though inconsiderable 
in the beginning, finally becomes mortal, because 
there was not a timely application of remedies. ^^He 
who despises small things,^^ says the Holy Spirit, 
" shall fall by little and little." And has not Jesus 
Christ told us, that '' He who is unfaithful in small 
things, will be unfaithful in greater ? " 

O my God, my Saviour, I sincerely implore Thee 
to pardon so much baseness and negligence on my 
part, by which I have rendered myself guilty in Thy 
service. I beseech Thee to forget all my past in- 
gratitude ; and I promise, for the future, to make 



52 SECOND DAY. 

every effort to repair, by my fervor, the evil I have 
done. Is it not enough, my divine Saviour, that 
Thou art offended by so many sinners who know 
Thee not ? Must Thou, likewise, have the grief to 
see Thy Daughters, Thy spouses, turn against Thee ? 
Ah ! suffer it not ; but grant that by Thy grace, we 
may give Thee all the consolation which Thou hast 
a right to expect from us. 

Consideration. 
On Prayer, 

First Point. Motives which induce us to Pray. — 
1. The excellence of Prayer. What an honor to be 
able to entertain ourselves with the King of kings ; 
to offer Him our homage, to pay Him our respect^ 
and ask Him for whatever we need ! By prayer, 
we, in some measure, prelude here below those holy 
exercises which will occupy us during all eternity ; 
namely, loving, praising, and blessing God. Con- 
sequently, what a motive to induce us to perform 
this duty with attention and fervor ! 

2. Necessity of Prayer. Our Lord declares that 
without Him we can do nothing; that His grace is 
indispensable that we may avoid sin and do good. 
For this reason He tells us in another place, that we 
must pray always, and never cease. Remark well 
the words we must, which signify that prayer is not 
only useful, but absolutely necessary. We must pray 



It 



CONSIDEKATION. 53 

always ; that is, to the end of life, because we shall 
always have faults to overcome, enemies to vanquish ; 
and we cannot succeed in this, without the assistance 
of grace ; and this grace we shall obtain by prayer. 
We see, therefore, that our salvation depends on 
prayer. 

3. Advantages of Prayer. Jesus Christ Himself 
designates these precious advantages in His Gospel : 
^^All that you ask the Father in my name,^^ says He, 
" He will give it to yoa.^^ All that you ask ; yes, 
all without exception, will be given to you. Could 
promises be more magnificent or consoling ? And 
who is it that uses this language? Jesus Christ, 
Himself, who cannot deceive us. He shows us that 
prayer is all-powerful ; that it is the key to all 
heavenly treasures, and that it only remains for us 
to enrich ourselves with these treasures if we desire 
them. It is also by prayer, that we shall obtain the 
grace to move and convert sinners ; it will give effi- 
cacy to our words, and sanctify souls. If we do not 
have recourse to God, we shall never be qualified to 
discharge the functions allotted to us ; we shall labor 
alone, the grace of God will not be with us. 

See how many reasons we have to pray well, and 
how fatal may be the consequences of our negligence, 
since it would prevent all the good we might do. 
Let us ask of God the grace to understand the import- 
ance of acquitting ourselves well of this holy exercise. 

Second Point. The Qualities of Prayer. — 1. The 
spirit of faith. This is one of the most essential 



54 SECOND DAY. 

conditions of prayer; and the Apostle, St. James, 
tells us, that God will not hear our prayer if we 
are not animated by this spirit of faith ; and Jesus 
Christ teaches us that, if we pray with faith, we 
shall obtain all that we ask. 

2. Humility. God resists the proud, but gives 
His grace to the humble. The prayer of him who 
humbles himself, shall pierce the clouds, and draw 
upon him the most abundant graces. We see a 
striking example of this in the parable of the 
Pharisee and the Publican : both went up to the 
temple to pray ; the Pharisee prays with pride, and 
his prayer is rejected ; the Publican, although a 
great sinner, humbles himself before God, and 
returns to his house justified. 

3. Respect: the Sovereign Majesty of God, whom 
we address, demands this. If we speak to a great 
personage, should it be only a word, we do so 
with profound respect ; and before Thee, O infinite 
Majesty, the force of habit, routine, and inattention, 
often cause us to lose all respect, interior and ex- 
terior, so far as not even to think of what we say ! 
Henceforth, let us pray with much gravity and 
deliberation, pronouncing the words so that the 
mind may understand and relish them ; this is 
specially desirable in those who are appointed to 
say prayers aloud for the Community. 

4. Fervor : that is, we should pray with con- 
tinued attention, — guarding against distractions, ban- 
ishing them as soon as we are conscious of them ; 



CONSIDERATION. 55 

fervor, also, implies love: for the heart, rather than 
the lips, should pray ; also, an ardent desire of 
obtaining the graces which we solicit, for Jesus 
Christ teaches us that '' blessed are they who hunger 
and thirst after justice, for they shall be filled.'^ 

Let us examine before God in what manner we 
perform our prayers, and see what we have to correct. 

Third Point. Means of Praying well. — The 
first means is, to ask this grace of God ; for, of our- 
selves, says the Apostle, St. Paul, we know not how 
to pray. Address yourself often to Jesus Christ, our 
divine Saviour, and say to Him with the Apostles : 
" Lord, teach us to pray.'^ 

The second means is, to prepare well before prayer, 
in order to enter into the dispositions which God de- 
mands of us. The Holy Spirit Himself recommends 
this practice : " Before prayer,^^ says He, ^' prepare 
thy soul, lest thou be as one who comes to tempt 
God." But in what does this preparation consist? 
It consists in recollecting yourself, placing yourself 
in the presence of God, reanimating the spirit of faith, 
considering the holiness of the action which you are 
about to perform ; exciting yourself to great confidence 
in God, calling to mind His goodness and His divine 
promises. When you make your prayer in a chapel 
where the Blessed Sacrament is preserved, would it 
be difficult to say to yourself: What house am I 
about to enter? Ah ! it is the house of God, the 
palace of the great King ! the place where He deigns 
to receive me with so much bounty, and where He 



56 SECOND DAY. 

is SO well disposed to shed His abundant graces upon 
me ! Oh ! with what respect should I enter it ! Re- 
present to yourself this divine Saviour who regards 
you with love and benevolence ; who opens to you 
His adorable Heart, in order to shed upon you the 
treasures of His love. Oh ! if you were well pene- 
trated with these thoughts, what sentiments of love 
and gratitude would fill your soul, whenever you 
have the happiness of coming into His holy presence ! 
Then your heart would dilate, tears of joy would 
flow from your eyes ; and far from finding the time 
long and wearisome which you spend at His feet, 
you would experience the most lively regret, on per- 
ceiving that the exercise was drawing to a close. 

A third means, indispensably necessary to acquire 
the spirit of prayer, is, to think of God frequently 
during the day whilst engaged in your ordinary 
duties, and to elevate your heart to Him by fervent 
and frequent aspirations. There is nothing more 
efficacious in order to become interior, and to acquire 
facility in uniting yourself with God. For the mas- 
ters of a spiritual life say, that we are such during 
prayer, as we are during the day ; if we are habitually 
united to God in our ordinary actions, we shall have 
no trouble to find Him in prayer, wherein we shall 
enjoy a sweet recollection ; but, if we are regardless 
of God in the course of our daily occupations, this 
disposition will accompany us to prayer ; and, con- 
sequently, we shall be deprived of that peace and 
repose so necessary to our union with God. 



THIRD MEDITATION. 57 

These are the principal means we should employ- 
in order to acquit ourselves well of the holy exercise 
of prayer. If we are faithful in making use of them, 
we shall reap abundant fruit from our communica- 
tions with God^ who will graciously hear the petitions 
which, with so much fervor, we address to Him. 



Third Meditation. 

On Tepidity, 

First Point. Marks of Tepidity. — There is 
nothing more opposed to the spirit of our Vocation, 
than Tepidity; for a Daughter of Charity should 
have a heart all burning with love for God. There 
is nothing so much to be dreaded as Tepidity. But, 
by what marks may it be known ? The following 
are some : A tei)id soul wishes, it is true, to avoid 
mortal sin, but is little concerned about committing 
a great number of light faults : she makes little ac- 
count of omitting her exercises of piety ; and when 
she does apply to them, it is without preparation, 
without the desire of profiting by them, and with 
voluntary negligence, of which she accuses herself 
only through form. — A tepid soul has only disgust 
for the things of God, as prayer, meditation, recep- 
tion of the Sacraments ; — a voluntary disgust, at 
least, in the cause ; a disgust that can be imputed to 
her cowardice — a disgust which she has failed to re- 
sist ; and, consequently, a disgust very different from 



58 SECOND BAY. 

the aridity which sometimes afflicts the fervent soul, 
causing her to grieve and lament. Not only does 
the tepid soul make no progress in virtue, but she 
daily falls back. Her passions acquire new strength, 
her faults multiply without measure; but this gives 
her no anxiety. — A tepid soul performs her actions 
without the spirit of faith, she thinks not of refer- 
ring them to God ; she seeks herself in all she does, 
instead of laboring for the glory of God ; she lives 
in habitual dissipation, never entering into herself: 
she is immortified, gives full liberty to her eyes; 
walks without modesty, yields to the desire of hear- 
ing and seeing all sorts of frivolous and dangerous 
things ; she criticises those who are more fervent 
than herself; ridicules them, and indulges a thou- 
sand sentiments of envy and jealousy against those 
who are successful in their undertakings ; she ren- 
ders herself guilty of many negligences in the prac- 
tice of her Holy Rules, nor does she strive to correct 
herself. We could point out many other marks of 
Tepidity, but it would be useless ; inasmuch as it is 
not necessary to have them all to constitute a state 
of Tepidity ; any of these marks strongly character- 
ized, would indicate a tepid soul. 

Let us examine if we have not the misfortune of 
being in this state. O my God, it is but too true, 
that I have permitted myself to fall into Tepidity 
in Thy service. Oh ! what a subject of confusion 
for me, who have so many motives to serve Thee 
with fervor and generosity ! Is this what Thou 



THIRD MEDITATION. 59 

shouldst expect from me after all Thy liberality 
towards me ? I ought to be all burning with love, 
and I find myself all coldness ! Ah ! do not per- 
mit me to remain any longer in a state so contrary 
to my obligations ; invigorate my languor, fill my 
heart with the most generons sentiments; that, hence- 
forth, I may serve Thee with all the fervor that 
should distinguish a true Sister of Charity. 

Second Point. The deplorable state of a Tepid 
soul. — 1. She excites the disgust of Jesus Christ. 
Listen to the terrifying words which the divine 
Saviour addresses to her in the pprson of the Bishop 
of Laodicea : '^ Because thou art lukewarm, I will 
begin to vomit thee out of my mouth. ^' Our Lord 
had no horror of sinners; He sought them with 
eagerness to bring them back to God ; He received 
them with compassion, readily pardoning the wan- 
derings of their past life. But, when there is 
question of a tepid soul, how different His conduct, 
how changed His language ! He declares that He is 
ready to vomit her out of His mouth. Oh ! how 
clearly do these words reveal the horror of Jesus for 
Tepidity ! The tepid soul inspires Him with a 
nausea similar to that produced in the stomach of a 
sick person, by heavy food which he is forced to 
reject. This soul, however, not having entirely 
abandoned God, must be endured by Jesus; but 
she is a burden upon His Heart, causing a renewal 
of His Passion. O Jesus, how could I treat Thee 
thus? 



60 SECOND DAY. 

2. The tepid soul is exposed to the danger of 
falling into the abyss of mortal sin, and of falling 
into it, without clearly perceiving it. The Holy 
Spirit says in express terms : " He who despises 
small things, shall fall by little and little.^' Ah ! 
the tepid soul, undoubtedly, despises small things : 
how many faults she voluntarily commits ! or falls 
into them in consequence of habitual negligence. 
She will, then, fall ; Eternal Truth has said it, and 
daily experience confirms this prophecy. She will 
fall : that is, she will commit some serious fault 
w^hich will separate her entirely from God, and sub- 
ject her to the slavery of the demon. What a 
misfortune ! and what should she not do to avoid 
it, even should it happen but once in her life ! But, 
what is still more alarming, is, that after falling 
into this state, the soul is exposed to the danger of 
not rising from it. For the Holy Ghost says, that 
she will fall little by little, and without much re- 
morse, because of the habit she has contracted of 
acting against the voice of conscience ; and of the 
gradual and almost imperceptible progress she has 
made, in the path of sin. For this reason our Lord 
says to the Bishop of Laodicea : " Thou art neither 
cold nor hot ; would that thou wert cold or hot ! '^ 
What a fearful sentence, but yet, how true ! It 
would, indeed, be much better for certain souls, had 
they fallen into some grievous sin, rather than into 
this tepid and careless state; for they would not 
long have endured the remorse of their conscience. 



THIED MEDITATION. 61 

This sin, in humbling and terrifying them by its 
enormity, would have compelled them to return to 
the path of duty ; whereas, their tepidity excites no 
alarm. O my God, if I am in this unhappy state, 
what should I not do to arise from it ! 3. The 
tepid soul is not happy. She falls under this 
terrible anathema : " Cursed is he who doth the 
work of the Lord negligently.^^ How is it possible 
for her to taste the sweetness of God^s service, when 
she is so unfaithful? She cannot enjoy the false 
pleasures of the world, for her Vocation debars her 
therefrom. If she enters into herself, she finds only 
subjects of weariness and disgust; everything is 
burdensome to her : constantly obliged to attend 
exercises of piety for which she has no relish, or to 
engage in painful labors which appear to her as a 
rigorous slavery, because they are performed without 
the love of God. Ah ! it is indeed true, that the 
tepid soul is not happy. Oh ! my God, I know 
this from my own experience ; but I now return to 
Thee, acknowledging that Thou alone canst fill the 
void in my heart. From this moment I resolve to 
abandon Thee no more. O Jesus, grant me this 
grace which I implore, through the intercession of 
Mary Immaculate. 

Third Point. Means of arising from the state 
of Tepidity and of avoiding it, — As the causes of 
my Tepidity are: contempt of little things, negli- 
gence in exercises of piety, and the want of mortifi- 
cation, the means I must adopt to arise from this 



62 seco:nd day. 

unhappy state, consequently, are : 1. Lively horror 
for small faults, and fidelity to little things ; 2. 
Exactitude in performing my exercises of piety, 
and attention to perform them well ; 3. The spirit 
of mortification. 

1^ I should have a great horror of the smallest 
faults ; hence, I resolve to avoid levity and dissipa- 
tion of mind; all murmuring and detraction, the 
habit of which I have contracted . . . ; but, above 
all, I will be faithful in observing my Holy Rules, 
for there is no means so conducive to the avoidance 
of small faults. 

2. The second means, is, exactitude in my exer- 
cises of piety, and attention to perform them well ; 
for, in these exercises, I shall find grace to avoid 
evil, and to do good. And, as long as I shall be 
faithful in the discharge of these sacred duties, God 
will bestow abundant grace upon me; I shall be 
strong against the enemies of my salvation, and 
shall be animated with great generosity in under- 
taking whatever God may require of me. 

3. The third means, is, the practice of mortifica- 
tion. Nothing imparts more energy to the soul 
than the exercise of this virtue ; and, without it, we 
shall always be deficient in courage and vigor. 
Therefore, I resolve to allow no day to pass without 
performing, at least, two or three acts of mortifica- 
tion. But, let us be convinced that there is no 
means more powerful to withdraw us from a state 
of Tepidity than a Retreat w^ell made. We must, 



THIRD MEDITATION. 63 

then, endeavor to make the present one in the best 
manner possible, and neglect nothing that may 
insure its success. O my God, it is time to arise 
from this languor, which has endangered my salva- 
tion ; rekindle in my heart the fire of divine love, 
which is almost extinguished. Grant that I may 
live as a good Sister of Charity, that my sentiments 
and my conduct may not be in contradiction with 
the beautiful name Thou hast given me ; may I be 
in Thy presence as a burning and shining light : 
burning by the flames of charity, and shining by 
the lustre of my virtues. O my Saviour, grant to 
us all, the grace to reanimate our languishing 
fervor; may our hearts never cease to love Thee, 
that our beautiful name may not, one day, be our 
condemnation. This is the resolution we take to- 
day ; but, to carry it into execution, we have need 
of Thy grace ; shed it, then, abundantly upon our 
hearts, that henceforth, we may be able to say with 
Thy Prophet : ^^ I have run in the way of Thy 
commandments, when Thou didst dilate my heart.^^ 



64 THIRD DAY. 



THIED DAY. 



First Meditation. 

On Preparation for Death. 

First Point. Necessity of preparing for Death, 
— We must prepare for Death^ because upon it 
depends eternity. If we die well, heaven will 
become our portion ; but if we die badly, we shall 
be condemned without hope of mercy, for we can 
die but once. If we could die more than once, 
we might repair a second or third time what had 
been badly done the first. If, then, we have the 
misfortune to die badly once, all is lost for us. — 2. 
We must prepare for Death without delay, that we 
may not be surprised. Nothing is more fragile 
than our life. Our days pass as a shadow and 
return no more. Let us not say : I am still young, 
I enjoy good health. Death makes no reckoning 
with youth or health. '^ Watch, '^ says the Son of 
God ; ^^ be ready, for you know riot the day nor the 
hour.^^ And elsewhere He adds : ^^ The day of the 
Lord will come upon you like a thief.'^ Let us care- 
fully note the words : shall come as a thief. — 3. We 
must prepare for Death ; for when the hour of depar- 
ture comes, there will be no time for preparation ; 
and when once the last sigh is given, there will be 
no means of obtaining pardon of our faults, if we 



FIEST MEDITATION. 65 

have not expiated them by sincere repentance. 
Would you be willing to die now ? 

Let us examine well, and if we have reason to fear 
the judgments of God, let us firmly resolve to prepare 
for the future ; let us do now, what we would wish 
at the hour of Death, to have done. Now we can 
do this, and never shall we find a better occasion, for 
there is no means more efficacious for reclaiming a 
soul than a Retreat. O Jesus, do not permit us any 
longer to abuse the graces Thou hast granted us ; may 
we no longer persevere in negligence which would 
prove so fatal to us. 

Second Point. How unhappy the Death of a 
Sister of Charity who has lived in tepidity. — Her heart 
is a prey to the most bitter anguish at the sight of 
the past, of the present, and of the future. What 
does she see in the past but the abuse she has made 
of God^s grace; she remembers that multitude of 
infidelities of which she has rendered herself guilty ; 
her negligence in her practices of piety ; her frequent 
infractions of Rule, her disobedience, her little 
charity ; the sacred vows she made at the foot of the 
holy Altar, and which she has often broken ; and so 
many other faults multiplied almost to infinity, be- 
cause she lived in habitual dissipation. — For the 
present, she sees that Death is about to give the last 
stroke, and that it is no time to prepare to live well, 
when we should be ready to die well. — In the future, 
she considers the judgments of God awaiting her, and 
she knows not whether they will be favorable or un- 
5 



(36 THIRD DAY. 

favorable ; all that she knows is, that she has every- 
thing to fear after the relaxed life she has led. During 
the day, her mind is assailed by continual fears; at 
night, her imagination is haunted by most frightful 
dreams. The demon watches near to drive her to 
despair; he places her faults before her, and ex- 
aggerates the number and malice of them, to entirely 
discourage her. Who could recount all that passes 
in that soul in these last moments? Oh ! how bitter 
are the fruits of tepidity and negligence ! 

But what will become of that poor soul ? Will 
she be saved ? Will she be damned ? She knows 
nothing. What a terrible uncertainty I O my God ! 
What cause would I not have to fear, were 1 to die 
now ! The more I reflect on my life, the more 
clearly I see how far I am from the perfection Thou 
demandest of me; not that means are wanting, for 
Thou hast lavished them on me with unpamlleled 
generosity. What would become of me were I to 
continue in such negligence ! Ah I Lord, I resolve 
from this moment to renounce my cowardice, and 
give myself to Thee to live as a good and perfect 
Daughter of Charity ; and I hope to do so, being 
strengthened by Thy grace, and encouraged by the 
example of so many companions who faithfully 
serve Thee. 

Third Point. How should ice prei^are for 
Death, — 1. To prepare for Death, we must, during 
life, die to all that of which Death will deprive us. 
Death will take from us the use of our senses ; ah ! 



J^IRST MEDITATION. 67 

well, mortification must regulate them in such a 
manner, that they may be as dead to all that could 
become an occasion of sin to us. Death will despoil 
us of the goods and honors of earth ; we must com- 
mence by detaching our hearts entirely from them 
and establish ourselves in poverty and humility. 
Death will separate us from our dearest friends ; 
we must, therefore, renounce those friendships, per- 
haps, too human, even for our companions. 

2. To prepare for Death, we must lead a holy 
life ; and to die a good Sister of Charity, we must 
live as such. ^^ A man,'' says St. Paul, '' will gather 
only what he shall have sown." If a man sow only 
cockle in his field, can he complain if he gather only 
cockle? Let us, then, say with St. Augustine : '^ I 
wish to live in the arms of my Saviour, that I may 
die therein.'^ 

3. If we wish to die in a holy manner, let us 
frequently think of Death. Oh ! how salutary is 
the thought of Death, and how differently would we 
live, did we reflect often upon it ! We must, then, 
always bear in mind that we may die at any moment. 
We must think of this in the morning when we rise, 
and say : This is, perhaps, the last day of my life, 
how then should I spend it ? In the evening on re- 
tiring, you should say to yourself: Who knows but 
I may die to-night ; ah ! perhaps, I shall awake 
before the tribunal of God ! Think of Death before 
each of your actions ; this was one of the practices 
of St. Bernard ; he was accustomed to say to himself: 



68 THIRD BAY. 

"If I should die immediately after this action would 
I perform it, and in what manner?^' Think of 
Death when you have some painful sacrifice to make, 
or when some trial overtakes you. Above all, think 
of it during this Retreat, and say : O my God I is 
not this the last Retreat I shall ever make ; I must 
then, make it as if it were the last. I must reform 
all that displeases Thee in me, and prepare to die 
well. O blessed St. Joseph, who hadst the happiness 
of dying in the arms of Jesus and Mary, obtain that 
we may be always faithful in serving Jesus Christ in 
His members ; that, one day, like thee, we may die 
the death of the just. 

Second Meditation. 

On the Pai'ticulai^ Judgment. 

First Point. The Particular Judgment is 
terrible on account of the severity of the Judge, — 
After death follows Judgment ; that is, the 'very 
moment that my soul leaves the body, it will appear 
before the tribunal of God, and be presented to Him 
as to her Judge. Therefore, in what place soever 
it be, I shall no sooner have drawn my last breath, 
than I shall be in presence of the infinite God. 
I shall not see God ; but, without manifesting 
Himself to my senses. He will impress me deeply 
with the consciousness of His Majesty. I shall 
be there for judgment, and God will be my Judge. 



SECOND MEDITATION. 69 

Oh ! how terrible will be His severity ! A judge 
is reputed severe and formidable when, being fully 
enlightened, he is disposed to punish according to 
the rigors of justice; and when he is so inexorable 
that nothing can move him. Such is the Judge 
who is to decide my eternal destiny: 1. He is 
infinitely enlightened; nothing is hidden from Him; 
He knows all, He penetrates even the most secret 
folds of the conscience, — all things are unveiled 
before Him ; He sounds the reins and the heart. 

2. This Judge will be disposed to punish the 
guilty according to the rigors of His justice. It 
will be no longer the mild and merciful Jesus, the 
God of love and goodness ; it will be no longer the 
good pastor who seeks the wandering sheep, who 
wearies Himself to find it ; and who, after having 
found it, places it upon His shoulders and carries it 
back to the fold ; it will be no longer the good 
shepherd who gives His life for the sheep so dear 
to Him ; but it will be a severe Judge, who will 
demand an account of my life ; and His severity 
will be in proportion to the mercy He has extended 
to me ; the time of mercy will have passed ; the time 
of justice, and the most rigorous justice, has come. 
3. The Judge will be inexorable : He will not be 
softened by the tears of the guilty, — those tears 
which so move His heart now, will be fruitless 
then. It will be a Judge whom we shall have 
outraged a thousand times during the course of our 
life; and He will come to us full of wrath and 



n 



70 THIRD DAY, 

auger, as the Holy Spirit tells us. What will 
become of me when I shall appear before this 
inexorable Judge ? In vain shall I think to flee 
from before His face : He will hold me in His 
hand; and when we have fallen into the hands 
of the living God, we cannot escape. In vain shall 
I rely upon the help of others. To whom could 
I appeal, being alone with God ? My companions 
will gather around my body, to render certain 
honors and to testify their regret ; they will offer 
suffrages and prayers for me; but will these prayers 
and suff'rages be a source of comfort to my soul if 
they are not supported by the merits and holiness 
of my life ? I shall, then, find myself at this 
terrible moment, abandoned to God and to myself: 
to God, on whom my destiny for eternity depends, 
and who is on the point of deciding it ; — to myself, 
deprived of all succor, in utter destitution, having 
with me only my works, which will be my sole 
resource and support. What will become of me if 
this resource fail me, and how could I supply it ? 

O my God, give me to understand all the terror 
of this Judgment, that I may avoid the rigor thereof 
by salutary penance. Yes, O my soul, thou must 
do penance if thou wouldst escape the justice of 
God; hasten, then, to profit by the time which He 
gives thee to weep for thy sins, and do not delay 
until the day of justice overtakes thee. 

Secojs^d Point. The Particular Judgment is 
terrible because of the rigorous account we shall have 



SECOND MEDITATION. 71 

to render, — A book will be placed before us con- 
tainiDg the entire history of our life, — nothing will 
be forgotten. The faults which we have committed 
in public, and by which we have scandalized our 
neighbor ; those of which we have been guilty in 
private ; even the most secret thoughts will be there 
described in the minutest detail. A light will be 
thrown over the whole of our life, and all will be 
exposed as at noon-day ; we shall be examined 
as creatures of God, as Christians, as Sisters of 
Charity. 

1. As creatures of God, we shall be asked an 
account of all the gifts of God : of the use we have 
made of our memory, understanding, and will; 
whether we have preserved within us the image of 
the Divinity which the Creator of all things im- 
pressed upon us in our creation, or if we have not 
degraded the work of God by sin ; if we have 
respected our bodies as the temples of the Holy 
Spirit, or if we have profaned them. Wo, wo, on 
that day to those who will have committed sin, and 
will not have blotted it out by penance ! 

2. As Christians, we shall be examined upon the 
obligations which we contracted on the day of our 
Baptism ; wo to us, if we have been unfaithful to 
our engagements ! We shall be examined also upon 
all the graces we have received by the use of the 
Sacraments, by the dispensation of the word of God, 
by holy readings, good example, and so many other 
means employed by God to impart His graces to us. 



72 THIRD DAY. 

What will be our grief, if God then shows us, that 
we have only abused His divine favors ! 

3. We shall be examined as Sisters of Charity. 
God will then make us understand the value of the 
grace which He bestowed upon us, in calling us to 
so exalted a Vocation, and He will make us sensible 
of its obligations. Wo to those who will have 
abandoned their Vocation, who will present them- 
selves divested of their holy Habit before the tribunal 
of God ! Wo to those who, although preserving 
their holy Habit, will not have preserved the spirit 
of their state ; who will have neglected their Holy 
Rules ; — who will have been unfaithful to poverty, 
chastity, obedience, and the service of the poor ! 
they will then remember the words of St. Paul : 
God will not be mocked ; and also what he says 
elsewhere : It is a terrible thing to fall into the 
hands of the living God ! 

While there is yet time, let us examine attentively 
before God, those points upon which we have most 
cause to dread the divine justice, and let us put 
our conscience in order without delay. 

Third Point. The Particular Judgment is teiinble 
on account of the sentence pronounced against the 
sinner. — After the investigation of conscience will 
have been made, Jesus Christ will pronounce the 
sentence. This will be a sentence of benediction 
for those who will have loved and served God upon 
earth, but a sentence of malediction for those who 
will have lived only to outrage Him. Oh! how 



SECOND MEDITATION. 73 

great, then, will be the difference between a good 
Sister of Charity and one who will have been un- 
faithful to her Vocation ! While one will mount 
to heaven to see and possess God eternally, the 
other will descend to hell to expiate her sins for 
which she was unwilling to do penance ; while one 
will eternally sing canticles of joy and happiness in 
heaven, the other will make hell resound with cries 
of rage and despair. 

But, what will be your sentence ? Will it be one 
of benediction or of reprobation? That depends 
upon yourself; it only remains for you to choose. 
You have before you death and life, benediction and 
malediction. Which will you choose ? You will be 
in the number of the reprobate, if you walk in the 
broad way which, as our divine Saviour tells us, 
leads to perdition. But if you wish, on the contrary, 
to be in the number of the elect, you must follow the 
narrow path, do violence to yourself, and bring forth 
worthy fruits of penance. First, you must put an 
end to your infidelities : you must have the greatest 
horror for mortal and even for venial sin ; because, 
if we have no abhorrence for this, we shall soon 
be drawn into mortal sin. Now, what are those 
worthy fruits of penance? Must you embrace 
great austerities, arm yourself with disciplines, hair- 
cloth, and fast daily on bread and water ? No ; — 
the Lord does not require this of you. Endeavor 
only to do faithfully whatever your duty demands ; 
serve the poor well ; be deferential and respectful 



74 THIPvD DAY. 

towards your Superiors, raild and cordial towards 
your companions; walk in humility and simplicity; 
be exact in the observance of your Holy Rules, and 
you will not have to dread the awful sentence which 
will cast the reprobate into hell. 

O my divine Saviour, how terrible are Thy judg- 
ments I The greatest Saints were penetrated with 
fear when they considered them. I hear the holy 
man Job cry out : ^'Ah I wo to me, what shall be- 
come of me, when the Lord shall rise up to judge 
me?^^ Alas I what cause have I not to fear, — I who 
have so often oftended Thee, and who, perhaps, have 
as yet done nothing to satisfy Thy justice? I have 
sinned, O Lord, I have sinned ; I have merited the 
rigor of Thy judgments. But, O my divine Saviour, 
I wish, henceforth, never to oflPend Thee ; and from 
this moment, I renounce everything that has been 
the cause of my infidelities ; I desire only to please 
Thee and to do Thy will in all things. Therefore, 
I hope Thou wilt be merciful to me. 

COXSIDERATIOX. 

On General Confessions, 

First Poi>'t. General Confessions are sometimes 

'necessary. — Consider the infinite mercy of God who 
has instituted the Sacrament of Penance for the re- 
mission of sins, how enormous and multiplied soever 
they be. What gratitude do we not owe to God 



CONSIDERATION. 75 

for so great a benefit ! By the Sacrament of Pen- 
ance, we recover our first innocence; our soul is 
reconciled to God ; we regain His friendship, and 
acquire new rights to our celestial inheritance. In 
this Sacrament, we receive particular graces to aid 
us in avoiding sin. But, alas ! how many abuse 
this great mercy of God ! Are you not of this 
number ? Have you not to reproach yourself with 
many negligences, and are they not of serious im- 
port? If so, you must absolutely quit this state, 
and you can do so only by a General Confession. 

But, for whom are these General Confessions 
necessary? They are necessary, 1. For those who, 
through shame, or any other sinful motive, have 
concealed a mortal sin in confession. — 2. A General 
Confession is necessary for those who have not 
brought to the tribunal of Penance the requisite 
contrition ; that is, who had no sorrow for having 
offended God mortally, and no firm purpose to 
avoid serious faults. Now, if any one frequently 
relapses into the same mortal sins, if there is no 
sensible amendment in his conduct, it is to be feared 
that he does not make his confessions with the 
necessary dispositions, although he may not be 
wanting in sincerity in the accusation of his sins. — 
3. A General (Confession is necessary for those 
who, through wilful and culpable negligence, fall 
into illusions which prevent them from perceiving 
the serious faults they commit : for example, certain 
illusions with regard to poverty, obedience, service 



76 THIRD DAY. 

of the poor, but, above all, with regard to chastity: 
for instance, here is one who voluntarily maintains 
a particular and human friendship. Such attach- 
ments are very dangerous ; they often lead to the 
most fatal results, and conduct by a rapid descent 
to the abyss of mortal sin. The soul is aware of 
this, and yet, she does not avoid the occasion ; she 
says nothing of it in confession ; or, if she mentions 
it, she perseveres in the same course, notwithstand- 
ing the remonstrances of her confessor, and she 
communicates in this state. How can she be tran- 
quil? Is it not to be feared that all confessions 
made in these dispositions are null, and, perhaps, 
sacrilegious? Therefore, they should be rectified 
during the Retreat. — In fine, all who have made 
bad confessions are obliged to repair them by a 
General Confession. 

But, that scrupulous persons may not take occa- 
sion from what we have just said, to torment 
themselves unnecessarily, we shall add, that it is 
not for them we speak ; and that when one who 
has had doubts with regard to past confessions, 
opens his heart to a confessor, and explains the 
cause of his alarm, he should abide by the decision 
of God's minister. But, if scrupulous persons 
should avoid this useless anxiety, those who have 
lived in a state of negligence and relaxation, have 
reason to fear being deceived by the demon, or by 
self-love, which sometimes persuades them that they 
have no cause of alarm ; whereas, they are in a very 



CONSIDERATION. 77 

bad state. Let us reflect seriously on the above; 
if our conscience reproaches us with nothing, let us 
return most humble thanks to God for preserving 
us from so great a misfortune ; but, if we are not 
tranquil, let us endeavor to recover our peace of 
mind, by speedily having recourse to the means 
which God, in His great mercy, has given us. 

Second Point. Reviews, or extraordinary Con- 
fessions, even when not necessary, procure us precious 
advantages, — It is not without reason that St. 
Vincent recommends monthly reviews to all the 
Daughters of Charity residing in Paris, and one 
every three months for those in the Provinces ; and, 
besides this, for all the Sisters, a review at the 
period of the Annual Retreat. These reviews 
procure the most precious advantages. 

The first advantage, is, to repair the negligences 
that may have glided into past confessions ; for, 
alas ! we often confess with very imperfect dis- 
positions. 

The second advantage, is, joy and peace of soul. 
What a consolation to be able to say : I have done 
all that depended on me to make this review well ; 
I should, then, have the sweet confidence that I am 
in the friendship of God ; and should I die, I would 
not have to dread the rigor of His judgments ! 

A third advantage of these confessions when they 
are well made, is, to impart new light which dis- 
closes to us the true state of our soul : whether we 
have advanced or gone back. In ordinary con- 



78 THIED DAY. 

fessions^ we are not alarmed at our faults, because we 
do not see them in a body ; but, in an extraordinary 
confession we see them in a mass, and we understand 
all we have to dread from a life filled with negligences. 

A fourth advantage, no less precious, is, to excite 
within us a lively sorrow for our sins. In ordinary 
confessions, our isolated faults make but little im- 
pression upon us ; but, in preparing a review, we 
perceive that our life is a tissue of ingratitude, of 
falls and relapses, of promises and infidelities : then 
the soul becomes sensible of her guilt ; she begins 
in earnest to reproach herself for her past ingratitude; 
compunction penetrates the heart ; she is filled with 
sincere regret, tears flow from her eyes, — those tears 
which St. Augustine found so sweet, — which have 
such power to move the heart of God, and so much 
efficacy to wash away the stains of our soul and heal 
its wounds. Experience proves that, frequently, 
persons who, at first, undertook these confessions 
only from devotion, afterwards perceived they were 
necessary, in consequence of a want of requisite 
contrition for their sins. Oh ! how they then blessed 
God for having inspired them with the thought of 
making these confessions ! How they congratulated 
themselves for having had the courage to surmount 
their repugnances ! 

Third Point. How the Confession of the Retreat 
should be made, — 1. You must, above all, conceive 
an earnest desire to make this confession well, and 
pray fervently to God to obtain this grace. 



CONSIDERATIOK. 79 

2. After that, take the necessary time to examine 
your conscience. I say the necessary time, for you 
must avoid spending entire hours in the minute in- 
vestigation of the lightest faults. Confine yourself, 
rather, to reflecting upon your principal faults ; con- 
sider the source and consequences of thera . Consider, 
above all, your predominant fault, for upon this 
subject, it is extremely easy to be deceived. Ex- 
amine yourself also upon those faults with which 
your Superiors and companions reproach you : depend 
on the testimony of others rather than on your own. 
Judge yourself without partiality, prejudice, or ten- 
derness. The more severe you will be to yourself, 
the more mildly will you be treated by the Sovereign 
Judge of the living and the dead. This is what the 
Apostle, St. Paul, teaches when he says : ^' If we 
know how to judge ourselves, we would not be 
judged one day.'^ In proportion as your sins present 
themselves to your mind, conceive great horror for 
them. 

3. After the examination, you must excite your- 
self to a lively and sincere sorrow for your trans- 
gressions : it is not sufficient to desire this sorrow, 
you must have it. To this effect, transport yourself 
in spirit to Calvary, or meditate attentively upon 
your Crucifix, and see how much those sins which 
you so easily commit, have cost your God. 

4. After you have made a careful examination 
and excited yourself to contrition, go to the tribunal 
of Penance. Consider your confessor as Jesus Christ, 



80 THIEB DAY. 

Himself, and present yourself before him as the 
prodigal child when he cast himself at the feet of 
his father ; or, as Magdalen bedewing the feet of 
our divine Saviour with her tears. Tell your sins 
simply, with profound humility, and great sincerity. 
Listen to the advice which your confessor gives you, 
as you would listen to Jesus Christ Himself. When 
the priest gives you absolution, renew your act of 
contrition ; and humbling yourself profoundly, re- 
flect that, at this solemn moment, the Blood of Jesus 
Christ is flowing upon your soul to cleanse it. 

5. After confession, testify your gratitude to God 
for the great mercy exercised in your regard ; and 
protest to Him anew, that you sincerely wish to 
renounce sin, and to serve Him faithfully for the 
time to come. 

Oh ! how happy you will be if you make your 
confession in this manner ; it will produce in your 
soul all the effects for which our divine Saviour 
instituted this Sacrament. Let it serve you as a 
model for all the confessions you will make, hence- 
forth, that they may secure to you great purity of 
conscience, and obtain for you a participation in that 
benediction which God promises in His Gospel, 
when He says : Blessed are the clean of heart, for 
they shall see God. 



•mm 



I'HtRD MEBITATiON. 81 

Third Meditation. 

On Hell. 

First Point. The pain of Damnation^ or of 
eternal separation from God, — In order to form a 
correct idea of the severity of this punishment, it 
would be necessary to comprehend the infinite per- 
fections of God, and the unspeakable ardor with 
which a soul, separated from her God, seeks to be 
united to Him who is her first Beginning and her last 
End. God so far transcends all we can imagine, that 
there are no terms capable of expressing the extent 
of the loss a soul sustains, in being absolutely sepa- 
rated from Him. Here below, the sinner, although 
not united to his God, does not suffer this torture ; 
because his soul is confined within the body, and 
beguiled by the pleasures of the senses. But, as 
soon as the soul severs the chains that hold her 
captive, she rushes violently towards God as to her 
centre and her last end. Her desire is vehement, 
irresistible, because it is a necessity of her being. 
As a creature, she tends imperatively to her Creator ; 
as a sinner, she is forcibly repulsed by divine justice. 
She rushes towards God, but a powerful hand keeps 
her fastened to the bottom of hell ; she seeks to break 
her chains, but never will she be able to escape from 
that place of anguish and desolation. She has lost 
her God, and she has lost Him forever ! In this 
state of violence she will pass her eternity : desiring 
6 



82 THIRD DAY. 

always what she will never attain, and enduring 
forever what she does not desire. What a horrible 
situation ! says St. Bernard. Can we imagine any- 
thing more heart-rending. 

But, what is still more cruel for this soul, is the 
conviction that she has lost her God through her 
own fault. She will call to mind all that God had 
done for her salvation ; the numberless favors He 
had lavished upon her in her holy Vocation ; the 
good advices she received without profiting by them ; 
instructions, spiritual readings, good example, holy 
inspirations : — all which graces she abused. These 
words will continually resound in her ears : Thy 
perdition is from thyself! And if this reprobate 
soul is a Daughter of Charity, the demons and the 
damned, astonished at finding her in hell, will say 
to her : What hast thou done to lose thyself; thou 
to whom God had given a Vocation wherein it was 
so easy to work out thy salvation ! — But, what will 
she do in hell? She will shudder with rage and 
despair. Thus will she pass her eternity, while her 
former companions will be inebriated with the de- 
lights of heaven. 

Second Point. The pain of Sense or fire. — The 
principal instrument which divine justice will employ 
in hell to punish the sinner with the pain of sense, 
is fire : a fire enkindled by the wrath of an omnipo- 
tent God, and inconceivably more terrible in its effects 
than the fire of earth. What are the properties of 
this fire ? First, it seizes upon the condemned soul 



« 



THIRD MEDITATION. 83 

in such a manner as never to abandon it ; a reprobate, 
a demon, carries it everywhere ; is entirely penetrated 
with it. The second property, is, to torment the 
sinner in proportion to his crimes; — the third, is, to 
burn without brightness, and without consuming its 
victim, in order to torment the soul with greater 
horror, and to torment it forever ! All these are 
so many miracles of the infinite justice of God. 
What a frightful punishment to be cast, living, into 
a burning furnace enkindled by the terrible breath 
of God's justice ! to live and suffer therein forever; 
to die therein, in some measure, and to revive at 
every moment ; in a word, to burn during all eternity. 

Oh ! how great an evil is sin, since God, infinitely 
good as He is, can resolve to treat without any 
mercy, a creature made to His own image ! O my 
God, what a subject of meditation ! Oh ! the 
sovereign antidote against all sin ! Oh ! the ad- 
mirable and efficacious means of preserving us in 
innocence ! Oh ! how well calculated is this fire, 
to enkindle in our hearts the fire of divine love! 
Ah ! my Saviour, may we be consumed with this 
sacred fire which Thou didst bring upon earth ! 
This fire burned in the hearts of Thy friends ; and 
I hope, through Thy mercy, that I may burn there- 
with during this life, that I may not be condemned 
to burn, hereafter, with Thy enemies, in the fire of 
Thy justice. 

Third Point. The Eternity of suffering. — Hell 
is the place of torments, and these torments will last 



84 THIRD t)AY. 

forever ; they are universal in their extent, continual 
in their application ; and, to fill up the measure of 
their severity, they are eternal in duration : this is 
what faith teaches us, and this baffles all human 
reasoning. How great soever the pains of the 
damned, hell would cease to be hell, if, one day, 
these pains should end. But, to have incessantly 
before their minds this terrible certainty : I am 
here for all eternity ; and after the lapse of millions 
of ages I shall be here still, burning anew, as if 
this torture were but commencing ! This it is, that 
constitutes the hell of the damned ; and which will 
eternally constitute it. 

O my God, preserve me from such a misfortune. 
But what must we do to avoid it? 1. We must 
apply ourselves to the faithful observance of our 
Holy Rules. It is an evident truth, that a Sister 
of Charity who will have observed them faithfully, 
will have nothing to dread from hell ; and heaven 
will, infallibly, be her inheritance. Oh ! what 
reason have we not to thank God for giving us such 
means of salvation, and what a motive to induce us 
to observe them ! 

2. The second means to avoid hell, is to think of 
it frequently: "Remember thy last end,^^ says the 
Holy Spirit, "and thou shalt never sin.^^ How, 
indeed, could we offend God, if we had before our 
mind those burning fires into which we may be cast 
at any moment ? Think, then, frequently of hell if 
you wish to avoid it. 



II 

III 



THIED MEDITATION. 85 

3. The third means, is, to do penance. O my 
God, if at this moment Thou wouldst in Thy 
mercy, withdraw one of the damned souls from hell, 
on condition that she should do penance, with what 
sentiments of joy and gratitude would she not be 
penetrated ! How generously would she devote her- 
self to do penance ! The greatest hardships, the 
most horrible macerations, the deepest humiliations, 
would appear sweet and agreeable. If Thou wouldst 
grant her a Retreat, as Thou dost me, oh ! how well 
she would profit by it, in order to give herself en- 
tirely to Thee ! Oh ! since Thou offerest me so great 
a grace, when I have rendered myself, by my num- 
berless sins, so unworthy, it is done; I will hesitate 
no longer, I wish only to live to do penance for my 
sins. When an occasion of suffering presents itself, 
I will think of the fire of hell which I have merited ; 
I will not cease to thank Thee, and to manifest my 
gratitude for all Thy mercies in my regard. Deign 
to strengthen my resolutions that I may prove faith- 
ful to Thee ; and, that after having sung Thy mercies 
on earth, I may eternally sing them in heaven. 



86 FOURTH DAY. 

FOURTH DAY, 



Note, — The order of the subjects for the Fourth Day will be 
observed, even when the Communion is deferred until the 
Sixth Day. 

First Meditation. 

On Penance. 

First Point. Necessity of doing Penance. — We 
have sinned, we must, therefore, do Penance. In 
receiving Baptism, we were clothed with the spirit 
of God residing in Jesus Christ, as penitent ; we are 
then obliged to a continual Penance. We have 
within us a tendency to evil, and this we must check 
by Penance, otherwise, it will cause our destruction. 
Again, we have to provide for the future, as well as 
to repair the past ; consequently, our obligation of 
doing Penance lasts as long as our life. Even the 
sins that have been pardoned, have left a wound in 
our soul which must be healed, — a temporal debt to 
be discharged either in this world or in the next. 
We must do Penance daily, and fear the chastise- 
ments with which God threatens those who refuse to 
comply with this duty. And, although our Lord 
has fully satisfied the justice of His Father, we can- 
not say that He has thereby freed us from the obli- 
gation of doing Penance. Let us believe St. Paul 
who says : '^ I make up in my flesh what is wanting 



FIKST MEDITATION. 87; 

in the Passion of Jesus Christ/^ Let us believe 
Jesus Christy Himself^ who says: "Unless you do 
Penance you shall all perish/^ 

We must, then, do true Penance; not a false 
penance which effects no amendment of life. And 
this true Penance we must undertake without delay; 
we must commence it from this moment. We must 
not say : I see clearly that I cannot always remain 
in the state in which I am ; I wish to amend, but 
I will wait a little longer. This is a snare of the 
devil who inspires the hope that you will accomplish 
later and with more facility, what you have not the 
courage to do at present. What seems difficult to 
us to-day, we imagine will be easier at a later period, 
although our passions will be stronger, and more 
deeply rooted. But, have we made a compact with 
death ? Let us bear in mind that hell is filled with 
good desires, and that there is nothing upon which 
we can reckon less, than on time. Let us listen to 
the voice of God, and say to Him from our inmost 
heart : It is done, O Lord ; I will no longer delay 
my entire conversion ; behold me at Thy feet 
resolved from this moment to commence a new life ; 
what wilt Thou have me to do ? 

Second Point. Advantages of Penance. — These 
advantages are so precious, that if we knew how to 
appreciate them, we could not refrain from loving 
Penance, notwithstanding the repugnances of nature. 
1. It shields us from the terrible chastisements of 
divine justice. We have sinned ; consequently, we 



88 FOUETH DAY. 

must do Penance in this world or in the next. The 
pains of Purgatory exceed all that we can imagine ; 
but, by the light penances we perform in this life, 
we can escape them, or at least, abridge their 
duration. 

2. It restores peace of soul. When we have 
oflFended God, we tremble before the sword of His 
justice, for we know that we have to dread His 
punishments. But, if we frequently renew this 
sorrow for our faults ; if we strive to do Penance, 
then our conscience will bear testimony that we are 
in friendship with God, since He has promised not 
to reject a contrite and humble heart. — 3. Penance 
renders us agreeable to God. It is a second bap- 
tism ; our soul thereby regains her first beauty, and 
resumes the precious robe of innocence which she 
had lost. Henceforth, God regards us as His dear 
children ; we recover His favor, as well as our right 
to our celestial inheritance. — 4. Another advantage 
of Penance, is, that it increases charity in the soul 
and leads us to high perfection. Whence was it 
that the heart of holy King David, that of St. Peter, 
of St. Augustine, of St. Mary Magdalen, and of so 
many others, were all burning with love ? Because 
the remembrance of their sins, and the thought of 
the mercies of the Lord, w^ere a stimulus which 
urged them to give themselves more perfectly to 
Him, and to serve Him with greater generosity. 

O my Saviour, do not permit that I should ever 
lose the remembrance of my ingratitude, and of 



FIEST MEDITATION. 89 

the great mercy Thou hast exercised in my regard. 
May this remembrance follow me everywhere ; so 
that at all times and in all places, I may render due 
thanks to Thee for Thy great bounty. Give me 
the spirit of Penance which thou didst once bestow 
upon Magdalen ; that I may continually bewail my 
sins, and love Thee as I desire, and as Thou meritest 
to be loved. 

Third Point. The qualities of Penance, — Pen- 
ance should be interior and sincere ; that is, it must 
consist in detesting sin, in sorrow for having com- 
mitted it, and in a firm purpose to avoid it in future. 
How deep should be our sorrow, considering our 
base ingratitude to God who has been so good to us ! 
It was this thought that caused so many tears to 
flow from the eyes of Magdalen when she cast her- 
self at the feet of Jesus, and washed them in torrents 
of grief. It was this thought which caused so many 
holy penitents to wage a rude war of maceration 
against their flesh. 

3. Penance should be exterior ; that is, we must 
perform works painful to nature, in order to expiate 
our sins, and satisfy the justice of God, in undergoing 
the penalty even after the sin has been forgiven. 
" I chastise my body and reduce it to servitude,^^ 
said St. Paul, although he was confirmed in grace. 
Other Saints have done in like manner, even such 
as had led a most innocent life. These expiatory 
works must consist, above all, in the accomplishment 
of our duties, how disagreeable soever these may 



90 FOURTH DAY. 

sometimes be. We are well aware, that the labors 
which our Vocation imposes upon us are often very 
painful. To offer these to God in expiation of our 
sins, is an excellent means of doing Penance. 
However, let us go farther than this : to this Penance 
imposed by duty, let us join other satisfactory works, 
which a spirit of generosity will not fail to prompt. 
Without speaking of extraordinary penances, which 
we can undertake only with permission of our 
Superiors, how many acts of penance may we not 
perform every day, without prejudice to our health, 
and without attracting the attention of others ! To 
observe strict modesty of the eyes, to deprive ourselves 
of a gratification otherwise lawful ; to impose a certain 
restraint upon our exterior ; to generously combat a 
temptation of antipathy, by manifesting greater cor- 
diality towards those to whom we are less attracted ; — 
all these practices of Penance are constantly within 
our reach. Let us courageously embrace them ; this 
will maintain within us the spirit of penance. 

3. Penance should be constant. Our entire life 
is given us to do Penance ; we should employ it in 
so doing, and labor till our last sigh to satisfy the 
justice of God. Oh ! what a happiness for us if we 
act in this manner ; what sweet consolation we shall 
enjoy during life, and, above all, at the hour of 
death, if we are faithful to it I O my God, what 
cause have I not to humble myself in Thy presence, 
when I consider the numberless faults of which I 
have rendered myself guilty ! I do not merit to be 



SECOND MEDITATION. 91 

any longer in the number of Thy spouses ; yet, I 
dare raise my eyes to Thee, and I hope that I shall 
not be rejected ; I know that Thy mercy far exceeds 
my ingratitude. Behold me, Lord Jesus, at Thy 
feet, filled with grief and compunction. I offer 
Thee my heart ; it desires to give itself to Thee ; 
deign to accept it, and penetrate it with so lively a 
regret for its past faults, that it will never cease to 
deplore them. Give me grace to repair the time I 
have lost, and to profit so well by that which Thou 
wilt grant me, that I may continually increase in 
Thy love, until it be given to me to love Thee in 
the abode of Thy glory. 

Second Meditation. 
On the Prodigal Child, 

First Point. The wanderings of the Prodigal 
Child, — He was happy in his father^s house ; and 
suddenly, he asks to withdraw. What was the 
cause of such conduct ? First, a great desire of 
liberty. When we cease to love virtue, or when we 
wish to gratify our passions, we dread the presence 
of virtuous persons. The second cause, was, the 
love of forbidden pleasures. When the heart is 
perverted, we cannot enjoy the sweets of virtue. 

Is not the conduct of this unfortunate Prodigal 
Child a prototype of our own ? Let us cast our 
eyes upon our past life. Have we not had the 



92 FOURTH DAY. 

misfortune of abandoning God in order to follow 
the bent of our passions ? Ah ! what a subject of 
tears and confusion for us ! If we have to reproach 
ourselves with but one mortal sin, let us guard 
against thinking that an entire life would be too 
long to expiate it. — And since we entered the 
Community, have we not gone far from God, by 
our tepidity and negligence ? 

But what were the consequences of the wanderings 
of the Prodigal ? The first was, to fill with sadness 
and bitterness the heart of his father, who was 
overwhelmed with grief at his departure. Thus, 
by your wanderings you have brought desolation 
to the Heart of God, your Father. Ah ! who can 
tell how great the grief you caused Him? How 
could you forget what you owed to so good a 
Father ! — What other consequences resulted from 
the wanderings of the Prodigal Child? He was 
happy in his father^s house; he there tasted the 
sweets of a peaceful conscience. But what did he 
find in withdrawing from his father ? Alas ! he 
found only shame, hunger, and the greatest misery, 
instead of the happiness which his passions had 
promised him. Ah ! what a misfortune when we 
forsake God ! Have we not often had a sad experi- 
ence of this? What did we gain by offending God? 
Bitter regret and confusion. How long will we 
permit ourselves to be seduced by hopes which have 
so often betrayed us? Ah ! Jesus, I conjure Thee 
to make me comprehend how revolting my conduct 



sficojsrt) Mebitatiok. 93 

has been, for T feel that I do not yet know the 
extent of my ingratitude. Vouchsafe to make me 
sensible of it, that I may begin to deplore it in the 
bitterness of my soul. 

Second Point. The Return of the Prodigal Child 
to his Father. — Let us consider the motives that led 
this son to return to his father. First, he entered 
into himself; and, conscious of his extreme misery, 
he said : How many hired servants in my father's 
house abound in bread, and I here perish with 
hunger. If we desire to return to God, let us 
commence by entering into ourselves; then, reani- 
mating our confidence, let us say like the Prodigal : 
I will arise and go to my Father ; and immediately, 
following his example, let us arise and go to God. 
Yes, let us go to God, and let our first words be : 
Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before 
Thee ; I am no longer worthy of being called Thy 
-child, but receive me as one of Thy servants. — The 
certain mark of a true conversion, is regret for having 
offended God, accompanied with the avowal of our 
faults and the desire to expiate them by penance. 
We find these dispositions in the Prodigal Child. 
He resolves to confess his faults with sincerity and 
without excusing them ; he will say : I have sinned 
against Heaven and before Thee. Not only is he 
willing to do penance, but he asks that this penance 
be severe and continual. From being a child of the 
family, he will become a servant. 



94 FOUETH DAY. 

May you imitate the promptitude and sincerity 
of the Prodigal Child's repentance ! What could 
prevent you from returning sincerely to God and 
resuming your first fervor? Would it be the 
enormity, or the number of your sins? But, is not 
God infinitely merciful^ and has He not promised 
pardon to the greatest sinners, if they come to Him 
with an humble and contrite heart ? Do you fear 
the sacrifices which you will be obliged to make in 
order to change your life ? But God will assist you ; 
Mary will come to your succor ; St. Vincent and 
your good companions now in heaven, are already 
offering their supplications to draw down upon you 
the benedictions of the Lord. Reanimate, then, 
your confidence, and say with all the assurance that 
grace will give you : I will arise and go to my 
Father. It is all over, O my God, I will no longer 
dispute with Thee a heart which should be all 
Thine. Ah I I have sinned against Heaven and 
before Thee, I am not worthy to be called Thy 
child, but receive me as the last of Thy servants ; 
I shall esteem myself most happy to be received 
under that title. Henceforth, I will attach myself 
to Thee, as to my Sovereign Master and Lord. I 
devote myself to Thee, to love and serve Thee, and 
to repair my past infidelities. 

Third Pors"T. The tender Affection icith which 
the Prodigal is received hy his Father, — The Prodigal 
was still a great way ofF, says the Gospel, when his 
father seeing him, was moved with compassion, and 



SECOKD MEDITATION. 95 

running to him^ fell upon his neck and kissed him. 
See the goodness of this father; does it not seem as 
if he should reproach his son^ to make him sensible 
of the baseness of his conduct? Yet^ not a word of 
bitterness proceeds from his mouth ; he manifests 
only the affection he bears him^ and the joy he 
experiences on seeing him again. Thus does God 
receive us when we return to Him. Ah ! how many 
times have w^e not experienced this, after the most 
shameful ingratitude ! 

Scarcely has the father heard the humble con- 
fession of his repentant son^ than he thus addresses 
his servants : Bring forth quickly the first robe and 
put it on him; and put a ring on his finger and 
shoes on his feet ; and bring hither the fatted calf 
and kill it, and let us eat and make merry, because 
this my son was dead and is come to life again, was 
lost and is found! This precious robe which the 
father orders for his son, is a figure of the robe 
of innocence with which we were clothed at our 
Baptism, but which we lost by our sins ; we are 
clothed with it anew when we return to God. The 
ring which the father caused to be placed on the 
finger of his son, is a symbol of the new alliance 
that he forms with him ; it is also a figure of the 
new alliance we contract with God when we return 
to Him. The shoes placed upon the feet of the 
Prodigal, signify the particular graces imparted by 
God to all who return to Him, to enable them to 
walk in the difficult and thorny path of virtue. In 



96 J^OtJRTH DAY. 

fine, the feast, celebrated in mirth and joy, signifies 
the Eiicharistic Banquet, at which the soul is inebri- 
ated with the sweetest delights. 

O my God, I perceive now more clearly than 
ever, that Thy mercy is infinite. How guilty soever 
I be, I come to Thee with full and entire confi- 
dence ; I am convinced that Thou wilt graciously 
receive me, — Thou art so tender a Father ! But, 
should human frailty, which alas ! is so great, with- 
draw me anew from Thee, recall to my mind Thy 
infinite mercies ; that after having offended Thee, 
I may not fall into discouragement ; but cast myself 
at once, into the arms of Thy mercy. O Mary, 
Refuge of sinners, obtain this grace for me. 

Consideration. 

On Contrition, 

First Point. Our Confession must be accom- 
panied ivith Interior and Universal Conbntion, — J. 
Interior. Jesus Christ, that perfect model of 
penance in the Garden of Olives, clearly teaches 
us this : His Heart was so oppressed with grief for 
sin, that He was sorrowful even unto death. More- 
over, reason alone convinces us of the necessity of 
this interior sorrow. Since the heart has offended 
God, the heart must repair the offense : it must be 
broken with grief for having displeased a God so 
good, so worthy of being loved. God cannot pardon 



CONSIDERATION. 97 

unless the heart repents, so far, as to wish, for all 
the world, not to have committed the fault it 
deplores. ^^ Return to me from your heart, says 
God to sinners ; rend your hearts ; make to your- 
selves a new heart/^ God regards not the eyes that 
shed tears, nor the lips that pronounce the words, 
but the heart that sincerely abhors the sin committed. 
In vain, will the mind and the imagination form 
within us an idea of Contrition, so as to persuade us 
that we have it ; in vain, shall we utter lamentations 
and sighs ; in vain, shall we weep and make long 
prayers and protestations of renouncing sin ; all 
this will avail nothing if, in the depths of the heart, 
there is no sincere regret for having offended God, 
no cordial detestation, no formal hatred of sin, and 
of affection for sin, no true sorrow for having com- 
mitted it. Let us examine ourselves before God : 
Do we bring to our confessions a truly contrite 
heart? Instead of sincerely deploring our faults, 
have we not refused to acknowledge them ? Have 
we not sought to dissemble them in our own eyes 
and in the eyes of the confessor, shielding them with 
excuses, that we may have less cause for shame ; 
justifying our hastiness and im2)atience, by alleging 
the wrongs of others ; our detractions and criticism, 
by the unreasonable conduct of our neighbor ? 

2. Universal Contrition. This is indispensable 

when there is question of mortal sins ; should there 

be only one which we do not detest from our inmost 

soul, our Contrition is null, our confession sacri- 

7 



98 FOURTH DAY. 

legious. God cannot love a soul that loves sin 
which essentially displeases Him. It is mocking 
God to say to Him : " I love Thee/^ when we 
have an affection for that which He sovereignly 
detests. — In regard to venial sins, as these do not 
destroy charity in the soul, although they weaken 
it, we may repent of some without repenting of 
others ; nevertheless, this is followed by very serious 
results to the soul : 1. The sins for which we have 
an affection, are not forgiven ; 2. The absolution, not 
falling on these sins, does not produce in the soul 
that plenitude of justification w^hich a heart belong- 
ing wholly to God, would have obtained. However, 
when we have only venial sins to confess, we are 
obliged, under penalty of profaning the Sacrament, 
which is a grievous sin, — to have Contrition, at 
least, for some sin, before receiving absolution ; 
because the act of contrition is an essential part 
of the Sacrament of Penance. For this reason we 
are recommended to accuse ourselves of a serious 
fault of our past life, for which we must be sorry 
before confessing. 

Second Point. Our Confession must be aGGom- 
panied with Sovereign and Supernatural Contrition, — 
3. Sovereign. Sovereign contrition is that, by which 
we are more grieved for having offended God, than 
for all the evils that might happen in the world. 
And what, O my God, is more just than such a 
sorrow ? Dost Thou not deserve to be loved above 
all things? Is there in this world an evil com- 



CONSIDERATION. 99 

parable to sin, or to hell which is the punishment 
thereof? Can the loss of fortune, of reputation ; can 
the death of our relatives, of our friends, be weighed 
in the balance with the loss of Thy grace and friend- 
ship ; with the loss of heaven for all eternity, which 
is the consequence of sin? Certainly not. The 
smallest degree of good sense convinces us of this. 
It is not necessary, however, that sorrow for sin be 
as sensible as that which we feel in losing a father 
or mother : God does not require sensibility, because 
this does not depend on us ; but, what He does 
require, is, that we detest sin as the sovereign evil ; 
and that we be disposed to lose all things, to endure 
all miseries, rather than commit it, even once. 
Neither is it advisable to represent certain evils to 
the mind ; for example, the torments of the Martyrs, 
to ask ourselves if we are ready to undergo all this 
rather than commit sin ; for we have not the actual 
grace necessary for this trial. It is sufficient to say : 
If I am reduced to this extremity, I will beg of God 
with all my heart to grant me this grace ; I am con- 
fident He will not refuse it; and this confidence 
gives me courage to say: ^^All evils, rather than 
sin.'' Let us examine if our confessions have been 
accompanied with this sovereign contrition. 

4. Supernatural Contrition, both in its principle 
and in its motives. Our nature, of itself, cannot 
rise to the supernatural order. '' We cannot of our- 
selves, says St. Paul, have a thought available to 
salvation, nor say a meritorious word." It is, then. 



100 FOUETH DAY. 

of Thee, O divine Spirit, that we must ask this 
true contrition, and from Thee alone we can expect 
it : but, on one condition, that we base it upon 
supernatural motives, as to its principle. If we 
detest sin only because of the remoi-se of our con- 
science, or because it has injured our reputation, 
this contrition is vain and sterile. True contrition 
has loftier motives : by it. the soul, deriving its 
motives from faith, has a sovereign horror of sin, a 
deep regret for having committed it, because, in so 
doing, she has displeased God whom she loves above 
all things. Fur this reason, she is inconsolable for 
having committed sin : this it is, that bruises and 
humbles her heart beyond the power of expression. 
Let us enter into ourselves, and see if we have 
brought to our confessions a contrition truly super- 
natural in its principle and in its motives. 

Third Point. What Jleans we should adopt to 
obtain Contrition. — 1. V^^e must ask it of God, for 
we cannot have it without the help of His grace. 
Hence, after recollecting ourselves, let us implore 
the light of the Holy Spirit, and conjure Him to 
give us a contrite and humble heart. Let us also 
address ourselves to our Saviour, saying to Him : 
O Jesus, Crucified for my sins, pour out upon my 
soul some drops ot Thy Blood to purify it; speak 
to my heart by all Tliy wounds as by so many 
mouths: and may these wounds produce in my heart 
perfect contrition which will dispose it to live only 
for Thee. I implore this grace, through the inter- 



CONSIDERATION. 101 

cession of the Immaculate Mary, the true Refuge of 
sinners. 

2. We must excite ourselves to contrition by re- 
flecting on the motives which faith proposes to us. 
For this end, we may, after the example of Mgr. de 
la Mothe, Archbishop of Amiens, make several 
stations; first, to hell : Let us in spirit, descend into 
this place of torture, and consider the abode destined 
for us, had not the mercy of God withdrawn us from 
the miserable state of sin. — Second station, at the 
vestibule of Purgatory : What heart-rending cries 
ascend from this dark abode; they are the lamenta- 
tions of unfortunate souls, who, perhaps, for a long 
time have been subjected to these frightful torments, 
to expiate their tepidity in the service of God, and 
other light faults, similar to those of which we are 
about to accuse ourselves in our confession. — Third 
station, at the gate of heaven ; we may perceive the 
throne of glory destined for us ; but, let us consider, 
that as nothing defiled will ever enter heaven, we 
cannot occupy that throne until we have expiated 
even the venial sins which we have committed. — 
Finally, the fourth station, at Calvary : Let us fix 
our eyes on Jesus Crucified, saying to ourselves : 
This is my work. Yes, O divine Saviour, it is I 
who, by my sins, have pierced Thy hands and feet ; 
I have crowned Thee with thorns ; I have crucified 
Thee and put Thee to death. How could I treat 
Thee thus, after giving me such convincing marks 
of Thy love ! O cursed sin, I detest thee ! Oh ! 



102 FOURTH BAY. 

how could I again crucify my Jesiis by committing 
mortal sin ! How could I give Him vinegar to 
drink, by the commission of light faults ! — We 
readily understand how well calculated such pious 
considerations are, to excite us to contrition. Let us 
dwell upon them a few moments before each of our 
confessions. 

3. We must then, make our act of contrition ; 
and before entering the tribunal of penance, repeat 
it several times, that it may penetrate deeply into 
our heart. It is very useful to insist particularly 
on the firm purpose of amendment, in regard to such 
or such sins which we are about to confess; asking 
earnestly of God, the grace not to relapse again 
into them. 

Let us examine, if, whenever we are to receive 
absolution, we take the means to excite ourselves to 
contrition. Let us not forget that the act of con- 
trition is an indispensable part of the Sacrament of 
Penance. Let us guard against imitating those 
ignorant persons, who spend a great deal of time in 
the minute investigation of their conscience, but who 
excite themselves to contrition in a very superficial 
manner. 

Third Meditation. 

On Poverty, 

First Point. Motives to practise Poverty, — Let 
us reflect upon the following thoughts of St. Vincent 



THIED MEDITATION. 103 

on the motives we have to give ourselves to God to 
practise Poverty, and to faithfully accomplish our 
vow on this point. The first motive, is, the excel- 
lence of the vow of Poverty : We cannot live 
without loving ; now, by the vow of Poverty, having 
no longer any affection or love for created and 
earthly goods, we shall fix our heart upon the in- 
created Good, and the things of heaven : hence, the 
vow of Poverty is a perfect and sovereign means of 
loving God with our whole heart. 

The second motive is derived from the promises 
which God has made to the voluntary poor. Jesus 
Christ assures us that he who shall have left house, 
or father, or mother, or brethren, or sisters, or lands, 
to follow Him, shall receive a hundredfold in this 
world, and eternal life in the next. Have we not 
already experienced the effects of the first part of 
the promise? How many persons of the world, 
born in the same condition of life as we, are reduced 
to pressing want ! We might have been similarly 
situated ; but God has provided for us otherwise, in 
calling us into a Community where we find all that 
is necessary ; — not only in this House, but in the 
other establishments, even in foreign countries. For 
one father, one mother, a few sisters, whom we left 
in the world, we find a hundred times as many in 
our Vocation. Are not all the members of the 
Community, so many Sisters who have as much 
and even more affection for us, than our sisters 
according to nature, who ordinarily seek but their 



I 



104 FOUETH DAY. 

own interests ? To this we may add all the spiritual 
goods with which we have been enriched. Oh I how 
true it is, that we have alreadv received the hundred- 
fold for what we abandoned for the love of God. 
However, this is only the shadow of the recompense 
reserved for us in the other life : we resign the 
riches of earth only to insure those of heaven ; we 
relinquish trifles, perishable and transitory goods, 
to obtain the Sovereign Good, God Himself. Oh ! 
with what reason does Jesus Christ call the poor in 
spirit blessed, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! 
In fine, a third motive, which should induce us 
to love Poverty, is, that the good order and welfare 
of the Company depend on the fidelity with which 
we practise it. Poverty is the bond of Communities 
and particularly of ours ; it is the tie which, dis- 
engaging it from all earthly things, will attach it 
perfectly to God ; it is an impregnable rampart 
which, with the help of God, will shield it from all 
attacks. But wo, yes, wo to us ! if we become 
attached to the perishable goods of this life ; for we 
shall be ensnared, we shall be pierced by the thorns, 
and held captive in these chains. Alas I what will 
become of the Community, if it give entrance to 
this desire of riches which the Apostle tells us is the 
root of all evil ? No, the Community will never 
perish through Poverty ; but, on the contrary, it 
will come to ruin, if Poverty is banished from it. 
Other Communities have given unquestionable evi- 
dence of the truth of this assertion. O my Saviour, 



I 



THIRD MEDITATION. 105 

be pleased in Thy infinite goodness^ to shield us from 
such a misfortnne ! 

Second Point. To what does this State of Poverty 
which we have embraced, oblige us f — It obliges us to 
love and practise Poverty. 1. We should love it; 
because it is the state to which we have been called, 
and because it procures us the most precious advan- 
tages, as we have considered. But, can I say that I 
love Poverty, if I desire to possess riches, or at least, 
to have the means of procuring whatever may satisfy 
my wishes ; if I speak with complacency of the dis- 
tinguished rank which my relatives hold in the 
world, to raise myself above others? Would it 
bespeak a love of poverty not to wish to be poorly 
clothed, nourished, and lodged; to blush at the 
livery of this virtue ; to complain and murmur when 
something is wanting to us ? Ah ! we shall never 
be as destitute as our divine Saviour while upon 
earth. Should the disciple be better treated than 
his Master ? O my God, how deeply should I re- 
proach myself! And how many times have I not 
departed from Thy maxims to follow those of the 
world ! 

1. A Sister of Charity truly poor, never acts as 
a proprietor ; and it would be acting as such, to give, 
receive, lend, or borrow, without permission. She 
is faithful in rendering an account of the money 
intrusted to her ; she is careful not to have, un- 
known to her Superiors, money in reserve, that she 
may purchase without permission, things which she 



106 FOURTH DAY. 

imagines necessary. — 2. She is careful to avoid all 
superfluities ; not only has she no more than is 
necessary, but she is perfectly detached from it all, 
and is ready to yield up everything at the first 
intimation of her Superiors. She also avoids all 
research, all delicacies, and has a horror of all that 
savors of luxury, and of what would withdraw her 
from the limits of Poverty; she uses everything 
with moderation ; takes the greatest care of all that 
is confided to her, either for her own use, or for the 
poor; and never suffers anything to go to waste 
through her fault. — 3. She suffers willingly the 
privations imposed by the practice of Poverty ; nay, 
more, she rejoices in them ; she bears hunger, cold, 
and thirst, with love ; she gives the preference to 
those Houses where poverty is visible; far from 
complaining when no attention is paid to her, she 
feels, on the contrary, that she is too well treated ; 
far from regarding with an envious eye what is given 
to her companions, she esteems herself happy to 
have the worst of all ; because she knows that then 
she most resembles her divine Spouse who was 
pleased to be in want of everything on earth, and to 
be treated as the last of men. 

Let us examine seriously before God, to see if we 
are in these dispositions ; and if we find that we are 
wanting in them, let us ask our divine Saviour, 
Jesus Christ, to give them to us. 

Third Point. What Means should we adopt to 
acquire the spirit of Poverty? — The first means, is, to 



THIRD MEDITATION. 107 

ask it of God. But our petition should be sincere 
and fervent ; for God proportions His graces to the 
earnestness of our prayers. Let us be convinced 
that if we have the happiness of being well estab- 
lished in this spirit, we shall be in possession of all 
heavenly treasures. 

A second means, well calculated to inspire us with 
the love of this virtue, is, frequently to revolve in 
our mind the promises which Jesus Christ has made 
to those who are perfectly disengaged from earthly 
goods. But, this is not enough ; let us meditate 
attentively upon His divine example. Let us con- 
sider Him in His birth, lying in a manger, within 
a stable ; let us consider Him in His flight into 
Egypt, and during the thirty years that He remained 
in the workshop of St. Joseph ; let us follow Him 
during the last three years of His life, and see with 
what love He endured hunger, thirst, the inclemency 
of the seasons ; so destitute was He, that He had not 
where to rest His head ! Let us contemplate Him, 
above all, on the Cross, stripped of His garments, 
reduced to extreme privation, receiving only vinegar 
and gall in His excessive thirst. 

Alas ! what is our Poverty compared with that of 
this divine Saviour ! Let us reflect, also upon the 
examples which the Saints have given us, for all 
endeavored to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. 
Oh ! they despised not only the riches of the world, 
but even the satisfactions which a too great delicacy 
prompts us to seek. Let us often recall to mind the 



108 FOURTH DAY. 

recommendations of St. Vincent, and the example he 
has left us ! for God has placed him before us to serve 
as a special model, and to teach us what we should 
do to become agreeable in His divine sight. Oh ! 
how greatly did this Saint esteem the virtue of 
poverty ! Oh ! that we could be penetrated with the 
sentiments that filled his heart ! 

Let us, also, reflect on the poor in the world ; alas ! 
they endure all sorts of privations : they are poorly 
clothed, uncomfortably lodged, badly nourished ; 
they are often reduced to extreme want. What is 
our poverty compared with theirs? How many 
among them would esteem themselves most happy if 
they were treated, I will not say as well as we, but 
in some degree approaching it ! 

We make a vow of Poverty, but alas ! how do we 
fulfil it ? Have we the spirit of it ? O, our Ven- 
erable Mother, who didst so much love Poverty, and 
who didst observe it so faithfully even to the end of 
thy life, and who didst so earnestly recommend the 
the practice of it, obtain for us the spirit of poverty 
in all its perfection. 



PIEST MEDITATION. 109 



FIFTH DAY. 



Note, — In large Retreats, as in the Mother-House, the Con- 
fessions are not generally finished on the fourth day ; in which 
case, Chastity, page 115, will be the first meditation of the fifth 
day; Obedience, page 131, the second; the Consideration and 
third meditation will remain in the order of subjects for the 
fifth day. The meditation on Communion will be reserved 
for the first meditation of the sixth day. 



First Meditation. 

On Holy Communion. 

First Point. The Goodness which our Lord 
manifests to us in Holy Communion. — Let us, first, 
admire the excellence of the gift which Jesus Christ 
bestows when He gives Himself to us in Holy 
Communion. This gift is infinite ; for it is Jesus 
Christ entire : His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. 
" This divine Saviour," says St. John Chrysostom, 
"reserves nothing for Himself; He gives all.'^ 
And St. Augustine adds; "Although God is 
infinitely powerful, infinitely rich. He could not 
bestow anything more precious." What gratitude 
do we not owe Him for such charity ! This charity 
is so great, says St. Augustine, that Jesus seems to 
have carried it even to folly. For does it not appear 
so, to say : Eat my Flesh, drink my Blood? This 
He did when He instituted the Sacrament of the 



110 FIFTH DAY. 

Eucharist ; this is what He renews whenever He 
takes possession of our heart in Holy Communion. |i 

Let us, also, admire the wonderful effects which 
our Lord operates in souls that receive Him with 
holy dispositions. First, He enlightens them ; for 
He is the light that shines upon those in darkness. 
The holy Prophet King said : " Draw nigh to God, 
and you will be enlightened.'^ And we have the 
happiness of receiving Him within us ! — Secondly : 
He purifies them, for our God is a consuming fire. 
In the same manner as fire purifies gold, rendering 
it more beautiful, so this divine fire purifies our 
souls, imparting to them a beauty, an incomparable 
lustre which makes them an object of admiration 
to Angels. — Thirdly : He warms, strengthens, and 
invigorates them, while speaking to them heart to 
heart, as to the disciples going to Emmaus, and 
kindling within them the fire He came on earth to 
bring. — Fourthly : He sanctifies our hearts, conse- 
crating them as ciboriums of the Holy Eucharist, and 
weakening in us the fire of concupiscence. — Fifthly : 
He transforms us, in some measure, into Himself. 
God vouchsafed to reveal this to St. Augustine, 
shortly after his conversion. " Grow, said He, and I 
will become your nourishment ; you will not change 
me into you, as ordinary nourishment is converted 
into your own substance, but you will be changed 
into me.'' What a marvelous transformation. To be- 
come like to God ! To be able to say with the 
Apostle : " It is no longer I who live, but Jesus 



FIKST MEDITATION. Ill 

Christ liveth in me I ^^ — Sixthly : He deposits within 
us the germ of a glorious resurrection : '^ He that 
eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood, says Jesus 
Christ, hath everlasting life, and I will raise him up 
at the last day/^ 

Let us admire, praise, and thank our Lord for 
all the graces he has heretofore granted us in this 
adorable Sacrament. Let us supplicate Him to 
pardon us for the little fruit we have derived from 
it ; — for the negligence and tepidity with which we 
have approached it ; and let us beseech Him to give 
us the grace to comprehend more fully, the charity 
he manifests in our regard, that we may profit by 
it in future. 

Second Point. The Dispositions which we should 
bring to Holy Communion, — We must do all in our 
power to prepare for Holy Communion : we owe 
this to our Lord, on account of the sovereign respect 
which His infinite sanctity demands. We owe it to 
ourselves ; for the measure of grace we shall receive 
in communicating, will be in proportion to our dis- 
positions. We maysay of a good Communion, what 
is said of a good death : namely, that it is the fruit 
of a good life ; this is the best disposition ; without 
it, all others would be insufficient. Let us endeavor 
to live in a Christian manner, conformably to the 
spirit of our Vocation, and we shall be sure to 
communicate well. In this consists the remote 
preparation. 



112 FIFTH DAY. 

Bat, what should we do for our immediate prepa- 
ration ? First of all, we must consider the state of 
our conscience. Wo to that soul who, being in a 
state of mortal sin, would dare approach this Holy 
Sacrament ! " He who participates unworthily of 
the Holy Eucharist, eats and drinks his own con- 
demnation,^^ says the Apostle, St. Paul. This was 
the crime of Judas : this unworthy disciple was not 
converted ; nevertheless, it was in his power to re- 
pent. Unfortunate souls who have imitated Judas, 
can, certainly, return to God ; but let them speedily 
have recourse to His infinite mercy. The state of 
grace, therefore, is a necessary, an indispensable dis- 
position for Communion, under penalty of com- 
mitting a horrible sacrilege. To avoid making 
tepid Communions, other dispositions are requisite : 
we must, first, excite in our hearts sentiments of 
lively faith, firm hope, ardent charity, profound 
humility, and great desire to receive our Lord. We 
must, consequently, devote some moments to excite 
within us these holy dispositions, and engrave them 
deeply in our heart ; for the preparatory acts for 
Communion which we read in a book, or recite 
from memory, will produce no salutary eflFect, if 
they find place only upon the lips. Let us beseech 
our Lord to infuse into our inmost soul, all the 
sentiments that He desires to find in us. 

Such are the dispositions with which every 
Christian should be animated on approaching the 
Holy Table. But, when we have the happiness 



JFIEST MEDITATIOK. 113 

of making frequent CommunionSj our dispositions 
should be more perfect. We must labor more 
earnestly at the work of our perfection, and re- 
nounce all aflFection to sin, even venial. According 
to the masters of the spiritual life^ such as have the 
habit of committing voluntary venial faults, and 
who have no will to renounce them, are not worthy 
to approach frequently the God of all sanctity. 
The multiplied Communions made in dispositions 
so imperfect, would be fruitless, thereby subjecting 
the soul to a fearful responsibility of an immense 
abuse of grace. O my God, give me to understand 
this truth ; grant me light to know how I stand in 
regard to my Communions. If I were now called 
to appear before Thee, would I have no cause to 
fear? Let us repair the past, O my soul, and do 
better in future. 

Thied Point. Of Thanksgiving after Holy Com- 
munion. — Eeligion, gratitude, and our own interests, 
make this a duty : 1. Religion. When our Lord 
honors us so far as to reside within us, is it not just 
that all the powers of our soul assemble around 
Him, as it were, to keep Him company; to render 
Him their homage, to entertain themselves with 
Him, to speak and to listen to Him ? Would it not 
be extreme irreverence, to leave Him alone in the 
depth of our heart, — to pay no attention to Him, 
to occupy the mind with other thoughts? Would 
we, in this manner, receive a distinguished guest, or 
a friend who comes to visit us? — 2. Gratitude. We 
8 



114 FIFTH DAY. 

should return thanks to God, the Father, who has 
given us, not manna, as to the Israelites in the 
desert, but His own Son. We should thank God, 
the Son, who gives Himself entirely to us ; who 
gives Himself to all ; who gives continually without 
ever exhausting Himself. Oh ! with what ardor 
should we exclaim : Thanks be to God, for His 
unspeakable gift ! If we could understand what 
this Gift of God merits, our heart would dissolve 
in love. — 3. Our own interests. In the moments 
following Communion, the soul can more easily 
enjoy Jesus Christ, be filled with His spirit, and be 
penetrated with His love. At this time, also, Jesus 
Christ is disposed to enlighten, warm, and move the 
soul ; the Sacrament produces its eflPects principally 
at this time, provided it meets with no hindrance. 
Consequently, by neglecting our thanksgiving, we 
would put an obstacle to grace ; we would be like 
the beggar unwilling to wait for the alms which 
the benefactor was ready to bestow. 

Let us examine ourselves. Have we always 
made our thanksgiving during the time allotted by 
custom? During this time, have we not suffered 
our mind to wander, neglecting to impose upon 
ourselves the necessary restraint to curb the flights 
of our imagination, to keep united to our Lord, and 
to perform devoutly the acts proper to this exercise ? 
Have we not postponed, abridged, or interrupted 
our thanksgiving under the slightest pretexts ? Alas ! 
whence is it, that we have derived so little fruit 



SECOND MEBltATiOJSr, ll5 

from our multiplied Communions ? The most 
ordinary cause^ is^ that our thanksgiving has been 
improperly made. 

O my divine Saviour^ grant that^ henceforth^ I 
may respond to Thy divine charity, by the most 
tender, generous, and ardent love. Oh ! that I could 
be inflamed with the holy ardor of the Cherubim and 
Seraphim ! Immaculate Mary, Mother of Jesus, 
and my tender Mother, obtain for me, a share of thy 
holy dispositions for the Communion of this Retreat; 
that it may be the model of all those I shall have 
the happiness of making until death ! 

Second Meditation. 
On Chastity, 

First Pofnt. The JExceUence and Advantages 
of Chastity, — 1. All the Doctors of the Church as- 
sure us, that this virtue renders us like to Angels ; 
because, in a mortal body, subject to all sorts of 
passions, we live as if we were pure spirits. 

2. Our divine Saviour proved to us how agreeable 
this virtue is to Him, in being pleased to be born of 
a Virgin Mother; in choosing for His Foster-Father, 
St. Joseph, whose exalted purity entitled him to the 
signal honor of being the guardian of the virginity 
of Mary. Our Saviour had also a special love for 
St. John, the virgin disciple ; and, at the last Sup- 
per, He permitted this Apostle to rest upon His 



116 FIFTH BAY. 

Sacred Heart, to draw thence those burning flames 
of charity with which his heart glowed till his last 
sigh. In a word, it was the good pleasure of this 
divine Saviour, that all who approached Him more 
intimately, should be adorned with the aureola of 
the most perfect Chastity. Who would not love a 
virtue which renders us the privileged friends of 
Jesus Christ ! 

3. Chastity makes us also spouses of our Lord ; 
that is, it unites us to Him in the most intimate 
manner. But, what an honor for us to be the 
spouses of Jesus Christ ! What more glorious, what 
more advantageous ! For, to whom will the most 
precious graces of this divine Saviour be imparted, 
if not to those souls entirely consecrated to Him ? 
We may say that they are at the source of grace, 
and that Jesus Christ could refuse them nothing ; 
moreover. He purifies them, and enriches them with 
all virtues. 

4, If the happiness of chaste souls is great upon 
earth, who could describe the bliss reserved for them 
in heaven ? They form there a special hierarchy, a 
privileged choir; they encircle and follow the Lamb 
whithersoever He goeth ; they are clothed in robes 
of white, symbolic of the beautiful virtue which they 
practised upon earth, and they sing a canticle which 
they alone can comprehend. Oh ! how happy is the 
state of those who have vowed Chastity to God ! O 
my divine Saviour, how can I worthily testify my 
gratitude to Thee, for the great favor Thou didst 



SECOND MEDITATION. 117 

confer upon me in calling me to the practice of 
perfect Chastity ! Grant me the grace so to appre- 
ciate this favor, that, henceforth, I may fear nothing 
so much as to lose so beautiful and precious a virtue. 

Second Point. To what is a Sister of Charity 
obliged by her vow of Chastity f — She is obliged to 
preserve her body and soul in perfect purity. And, 
first, her body. By the vow of Chastity, she has 
consecrated to our Lord, in a special manner, her 
body which had already become the temple of the 
Holy Ghost by Baptism. Hence, any fault com- 
mitted against the angelic virtue, would be attended 
with peculiar gravity : it would be a sacrilege. All 
her members are thus consecrated to God ; the 
delicacy of purity, therefore, requires her to guard 
carefully her eyes, her ears, her tongue, all her 
exterior senses. But, if we should preserve our 
bodies in great purity, because they are the temples 
of the Holy Spirit, with how much greater reason 
must w^e avoid all that could sully our hearts, which 
are His sanctuaries ! Oh ! how small a thing may 
sadden the Spirit of God, and banish Him from our 
hearts, when there is question of faults against this 
delicate virtue ! A simple unchaste thought upon 
which the mind dwells with pleasure, is sufficient to 
make us lose the grace of God. 

We should, then, watch over all the faculties of 
the soul : over our memory, to reject all recollections 
contrary to Chastity ; over our will, that we may 
desire nothing displeasing to God ; over our under- 



118 FIFTH DAY. 

standing, that we may never entertain thoughts 
which could, in the least, tarnish the beauty of our 
soul ; over our heart, that it may never indulge too 
tender affection for any one. But, as these interior 
faults are often occasioned by exterior objects, it 
becomes doubly necessary to guard the exterior senses, 
even when they might not be immediately sullied, ac- 
cording to what has been above remarked. Hence, 
following the recommendations of St. Vincent, we 
should avoid all familiarities, even with our com- 
panions : maintaining ourselves in great modesty ; 
and, after the example of the holy man, Job, making 
a compact with our eyes, lest they become for us an 
occasion of sin. Let us remember that one glance 
formerly caused the fall of the holy King David. 
We should also watch over our words, that we may 
say nothing calculated to draw others into evil ; for 
it requires but a spark to produce a frightful con- 
flagration. Let us examine ourselves attentively 
upon all these points, and adopt generous resolutions 
for the future. 

Third Point. What Means should we employ to 
observe Chastity f — The first, is prayer. ^^ Having 
learned, says Solomon, that I could not be continent 
unless God gave me the grace, I cast myself at the 
feet of the Lord, and besought Him to grant me 
this virtue.^' This we should, also, do : We should 
ask it of God, ask it of Him frequently ; ask it of 
Him, above all, when we are assailed by tempta- 
tions ; if we are faithful in having recourse to God, 



SECOND MEDITATION. 119 

He will never permit our enemies to triumph over 
our weakness. Let us frequently address ourselves 
to the Immaculate Mary, the Virgin of virgins. 

A second means, is, to avoid occasions. But 
what are these occasions? They are : frequent com- 
munications with seculars, and^ above all, with per- 
sons of the other sex. Chastity does not love noise, 
nor visits ; it shuns exposure ; it loves to hide itself 
in solitude ; there it increases, is strengthened, and 
is rendered more beautiful. If you go abroad, let 
it be always from necessity, — for the interests of 
God, and for the solace of the afflicted. Do not 
prolong conversations; be polite, but reserved. 
Have a horror of compliments and flattering words 
that may be addressed to you ; think that cruel 
serpents are concealed under these flowers. Know 
that you have everything to fear from persons who 
flatter you ; and be convinced, that you cannot be 
too much on your guard against that perfidious and 
seductive language. Shun, also, private friendships 
with your companions. You could not believe how 
skilful the demon of impurity is, in profiting by 
these friendships, to diffuse into the heart the most 
subtle and dangerous poison. These friendships 
appear innocent in the beginning, they often com- 
mence under pretext of devotion and spirituality; 
but, it is not long, before they are corrupted, and 
degenerate into friendships altogether carnal. 

In fine, be faithful in repulsing the temptations 
that may surprise you. You must expect to have 



120 FIFTH DAY. 

them, but be not alarmed ; temptations are not an 
evil, they are even useful ; they serve to strengthen 
our virtue. Do not suflFer yourself to be discouraged 
by the multiplicity and strength of your tempta- 
tions; but guard, also, against yielding to negligence. 
T\^hen you perceive that the enemy attacks you, 
resist promptly, but with gentle firmness ; that is, 
be faithful to repel all the wicked suggestions of the 
flesh ; say to God from your inmost soul, and repeat 
it often : that you would prefer to die rather than 
consent to anything displeasing to Him. Take 
refuge in the wounds of Jesus ; cast yourself into 
the arms of Mary; and rest assured that all the rage 
of your enemies will turn to their confusion. 

Let us enter into ourselves. Have we employed 
these several means ? If we find that we have not 
been faithful, let us humble ourselves profoundly 
before God, and adopt resolutions for the future. 

COXSIDERATIOX. 

On Modesty. 

First Poixt. Motives to practise Modesty . — 1. 
^lodesty ought to be one of your virtues of predi- 
lection, because it is the guardian of chastity, with- 
out which you could not be agreeable to your divine 
Spouse, who delights to dwell among the lilies. And 
if you do not practise this virtue of Modesty, chas- 
tity will soon be blighted by the poisonous breath of 



CONSIDERATION. 121 

Vice. The spouse of Jesus Christ is compared to a 
garden inclosed ; but Modesty serves as the walls 
thereof, preventing the entrance of enemies inio her 
heart. She who is destitute of this virtue, is like a 
garden without inclosure, into which the enemy 
penetrates, bringing desolation and ruin. 

2. A Sister of Charity adorned with the virtue 
of Modesty, edifies every one; she commands the 
respect of all ; and, on beholding her, souls are 
drawn to the love of virtue. On the contrary, she 
who allows herself a word too free, an inconsiderate 
look, an affected gait, excites unfavorable suspicions 
in her regard, and compromises the works she under- 
takes for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. 
For this reason, St. Paul said to the faithful of his 
time : '' Let your Modesty be known to all.^^ But, 
if all Christians should be distinguished by their 
Modesty, what should be the perfection of this vir- 
tue in a Sister of Charity, bound to labor for the 
glory of God and the salvation of souls ! Every- 
thing in her should be holy and edifying; she should 
everywhere diffuse around her the good odor of Jesus 
Christ. Hence, St. Vincent so often recommended 
this virtue ; he declared on one occasion, that he had 
no greater pleasure, than to see with what Modesty 
his Daughters passed through the streets; while, on 
the contrary, his heart was deeply grieved when he 
saw any one wanting in this virtue. 

3. In fine, we should practise this virtue to be- 
come like unto our Lord, who was pleased to be a 



122 FIFTH DAY. 

perfect model of Modesty. This it was, that charmed 
every one and drew after Him an immense crowd, 
never weary of admiring Him. This virtue must 
have shone in our divine Saviour with dazzling 
splendor, and made a deep impression on those who 
were witnesses of it; since w^e see the Apostle, when 
desiring to obtain some sacrifice of the Corinthians, 
solicit it by the Modesty of Jesus Christ. How 
have we imitated our divine model ? 

Secoxd Point. How toe should practise Mod- 
esty, — 1. Modesty should, above all, regulate the 
carriage of the head and the composure of the 
features. It would not be becoming to w^alk with 
the head too elevated, or with too confident an air ; 
this would bespeak haughtiness. We must keep 
a guard, particularly, over the eyes, having them 
slightly cast down ; and refraining, on all occasions, 
from immoderate bursts of laughter, in compli- 
ance with the recommendations found in the Holy 
Books. — 2. Modesty should also appear in the 
countenance, and in the posture of the body. This 
ought not to be too much bent, or inclined more 
to one side than to the other; but erect, with- 
out restraint or affectation. In fine. Modesty 
requires that we refrain from proud and haughty 
gestures, looks and manners that are soft and 
effeminate, or too free, — bespeaking levity and im- 
mortification. — 3. Modesty in words, demands that 
we speak neither too much nor too little ; it con- 
demns those who allow others no time to speak, — 



CONSIDERATION. 1 23 

interrupting them, or anticipating them by too pre- 
cipitate a reply. It regulates the tone of the voice, 
that it be neither too low nor too loud ; it does not 
suffer us to speak in an imperious, arrogant, or 
angry tone ; it avoids all kinds of disputes and 
contentions; preferring, says St. Gregory Nazianzen, 
to be overcome by yielding with Modesty, than to 
conquer by too great obstinacy. — 4. Modesty in dress, 
demands that we never depart from the poverty 
and simplicity of our holy Vocation ; it requires 
us to dress and undress in a becoming manner, and 
in the presence of God ; it avoids all over-nicety, 
as well as all negligence. — 5. Modesty in repasts, 
requires that we observe silence, listen to the read- 
ing, and that our exterior be so regulated, that these 
words of the Prophet King may be applicable to 
us: ^^ The just make their repasts in the presence 
of God. ^' — 6. We should, with much greater reason, 
observe Modesty in churches and chapels which 
are consecrated to God. We ought to enter them 
with recollection, observe therein a rigorous silence : 
guarding carefully the eyes, and edifying the faith- 
ful by our religious deportment and respect for the 
Majesty of God abiding in this temple. 

Let us examine ourselves on these different rules; 
let us see wherein we have failed, and take the 
resolution to correct all the faults of which we per- 
ceive ourselves guilty on this important point. 

Third Point. The Means we should adopt to 
observe Modesty, — 1. You would not be guilty of 



124 FIFTH DAY. 

anything contrary to Modesty in presence of one for 
whom you entertained the highest respect ; therefore^ 
bear in mind that your Guardian Angel is constantly 
with you ; that he is witness of all you do, whether 
in public or in private. The thought of the presence 
of this prince of the heavenly Court, will prompt 
you to behave with the greatest reserve. Consider 
above all, that God, who is everywhere present, sees 
all your actions, hears all your words, and penetrates 
the most hidden recesses of your heart. He is your 
Judge : would you offend Him in His very presence? 
The Apostle, St. Paul, recommends this means when 
he says : " Let your Modesty be known to all, for 
the Lord is nigh.'^ 

2. To observe an exact Modesty, we should avoid 
dissipation and precipitancy, which are its greatest 
enemies. We must, then, guard against too great 
natural activity, performing every action with weight 
and measure, in view of God and for God; and 
engage in our occupations with that quiet and com- 
posure which exclude all inattention; in a word, to 
regulate all our actions according to principles of 
faith and reason. 

3. In fine, a very efficacious means to acquire 
perfect Modesty, is, to cast our eyes frequently upon 
our divine Saviour, and take Him for a model in all 
w^e do, and in all our intercourse with our neighbor. 
Thus, when you rise, or when you retire, recall to 
mind the admirable Modesty of our Saviour; when 
you take your repasts, ask yourself what was His 



THIRD MEDITATION. 125 

deportment on such occasions ; while going through 
the streets, represent to yourself the Modesty of our 
Lord, as He walked through the city of Jerusalem, 
and other places which He evangelized. If you 
speak to your neighbor, consider this divine Master 
conversing with His Apostles ; when you repair to 
the church, remember the severity with which He 
reproached those who violated the sanctity of the 
Temple. In fine, in all you do, in all you say, have 
Jesus ever before your eyes. Endeavor to imitate 
Him, and you will, yourself, become a perfect model 
of Modesty. During life, you will be a subject of 
edification to all who behold you, and, after death, 
your recompense will be eternal. 

Examine if you have employed these means ; and 
if you have failed to do so, beg pardon of God, and 
resolve to be more faithful in future. 



Third Meditation. 

On Mortification. 

First Point. Mortification is a necessary Vir- 
tue, — Reason convinces us of this. Man was created 
in the state of original justice; therefore, all within 
him was well ordered : the spirit was subject to 
God, and the senses were obedient to reason. But 
in consequence of sin, man forfeited all these inesti- 
mable advantages : the law of the members conflicted 
with that of the spirit; the fire of concupiscence 



126 PWtR DAY* 

enkindled all his passions, enticing him to seek 
sensible pleasures, and thereby to fall into every 
disorder. It is, then, clear, that in order to subdue 
our passions, and to curb our evil inclinations, we 
have great need of Mortification. 

2. Jesus Christ teaches this : ^^ If any one will 
come after me,^^ says He to us, ^^ let him deny him- 
self, take up his cross, and follow me. — If the grain 
of wheat, falling into the earth, die not, itself re- 
maineth alone ; but if it die, it bringeth forth much 
fruit. — He who loveth his life, shall lose it; and he 
who hateth his life shall find it. — He that doth not 
take up his cross and follow me, is not worthy of 
of me.'^ But, what is it to follow Jesus Christ, 
and to bear the cross, if not to pass our life in the 
practice of the most perfect Mortification? For, 
the life of this divine Saviour, from His birth to 
His death, was but a constant exercise of Mortifica- 
tion. What our Lord taught regarding the necessity 
of Mortification, the Apostles inculcated with marked 
persistence. St. Paul says that if, by the spirit, we 
mortify the deeds of the flesh, we shall live ; but if 
we live according to the flesh, we shall die. 

3. Our Vocation imperiously demands this prac- 
tice of Mortification. The labors to which we 
devote ourselves are so painful, — the life we lead 
is so opposed to the inclinations of nature; — the 
sacrifices we are called upon to offer to our Lord 
are so multiplied ; that, without a spirit of extra- 
ordinary Mortification, we shall never comply with 



THIRD MEMTATiOK. 12? 

our obligations ; we shall never acquire the spirit of 
our state. Hence^ St. Vincent tells us that our 
Vocation absolutely requires the spirit of MortiiS- 
cation^ and that we cannot be Sisters of Charity 
without it. 

O my good Saviour, I now understand that if I 
wish to be Thy disciple and to be a good Sister of 
Charity, I must labor to mortify myself. Grant 
me the grace courageously to surmount all the 
repugnance of nature, and to follow Thee, gener- 
ously carrying my cross ; that I may one day, taste 
the joys that will become the portion of those who 
will have led a mortified life. 

Second Point. Exterior Mortification, — Our 
divine Saviour has given us an example of this 
Mortification, by the life of hardship which He 
led ; never giving his body any satisfaction that it 
might demand, and imposing upon Himself all 
kinds of privation. This is, also, what the Saints 
have done at all times. The Apostle, St. Paul, says : 
*^ I chastise my body and reduce it to servitude, for 
fear lest, after having preached to others, I myself 
become an anathema.^^ These words of the Apostle 
indicate two kinds of Mortification : 1. To chastise 
the body; 2. To reduce it to servitude. 

1. To chastise the body. This we do by fasting, 
hair-cloth, and discipline ; but, we can employ these 
means only with the permission of Superiors ; and 
even then, with measure and discretion, lest we unfit 
ourselves for the duties of our Vocation. AVe may 



128 FIFTH DAY. 

chastise the body in many other ways which do not 
expose us to the same danger, and which would be 
no less meritorious ; thus, for example : to support 
with patience cold, heat, and other inconveniences 
of the seasons ; being exact to rise every morning 
at the first sound of the bell ; to be indifferent as 
to the quality of food, — partaking of that which 
is unpalatable as well as that which is agreeable ; to 
avoid seeking comfortable positions, even to take 
such as are painful, especially during prayer. 

2. To reduce the body to servitude ; that is, to 
regulate our senses in such a manner, that they may 
not become for us an occasion of sin. You wdll 
mortify the eyes by modesty; the tongue by silence, 
as well as by reserve and discretion in conversation 
with your companions ; but, principally, with externs ; 
you will mortify the hearing, by not listening to vain 
and curious things, to murmurs and complaints which 
offend God. If you will see everything, tell every- 
thing, and listen to everything, your soul will re- 
semble a city whose gates are left open, so that the 
enemy can enter and lay all desolate. Oh ! how 
important it is, thus to reduce the body to servitude, 
if we would persevere in that fidelity which we owe 
to God, and advance in the practice of virtue ! Let 
us examine ourselves attentively before God. Let 
us humble ourselves profoundly, and take generous 
resolutions for the future. 

Third Point. Interior Mortification. — A Sister 
of Charity who wishes to avoid sin and attain the 



THIRD MEDITATION. 129 

perfection of her state, should mortify her memory, 
never indulging dangerous recollections ; nor even 
the remembrance of her relatives, of her country, 
of any earthly thing ; and frequently call to mind 
these words of the Holy Spirit : My Daughter, for- 
get thy people and thy father^s house, and the King 
shall greatly desire thy beauty/^ — 2. She should 
mortify her imagination, by banishing dangerous 
representations ; and restrain it with regard to in- 
different things, that it may be free for the holy 
exercise of prayer and meditation. — 3. She ought 
to mortify her judgment, submitting it to that of 
her Superiors in all that is not sinful ; and endeavor- 
ing to judge of things, not according to her own 
spirit, but subjecting it entirely to that of God, to 
that of her Superiors, and even to that of her neigh- 
bor ; preferring, rather, to do the will of another 
than her own. — 5. She should watch over the desires 
of her heart, to see if they are conformed to her 
obligations, and to what God demands of her ; she 
ought to avoid superfluous desires, and imitate the 
gardener who always holds the pruning knife in bis 
hand, to lop off all useless branches, that only exhaust 
the sap, and prevent the plant from producing fruits. 
Oh ! how happy will that Sister be, who strives 
to die to herself! Her life will be hidden in Jesus 
Christ, as says the Apostle, St. Paul ; she will enjoy 
peace, and the most perfect security ; her passions 
will be enchained, and will do her no injury; she 
will make great progress in perfection ; and, sus- 
9 



130 FIFTH DAY. 

tained by grace, she will obtain heaven. O my 
divine Saviour ! who didst come upon earth to 
teach us how to mortify our passions, we conjure 
Thee to give us the grace to live, henceforth, in a 
manner conformable to Thy sublime teachings. 
Ah ! do not permit that Thy Daughters, after 
having been specially called to honor the life which 
Thou didst lead upon earth, should live the life of 
the senses ; but grant them the grace to live the life 
which Thou didst lead here below, that they may 
deserve to be glorified with Thee in heaven. 



FIRST MEDITATION. 131 



SIXTH DAY. 



Note. — When the sixth day is appointed for Communion, the 
first Meditation of the fifth day : Upon the Excellence of Com- 
munion, will be read as the first Meditation of the sixth day ; and 
the Meditation upon Obedience, will be the second Meditation 
for the fifth day. 

First Meditation. 

On Obedience. 

First Point. Motives of Obedience. — 1. The 
example of our Lord. Jesus practised this virtue, 
not only in regard to His heavenly Father, but, 
also, towards the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, and 
others invested with authority, whether virtuous or 
otherwise ; His Obedience commenced with His 
life ; it conducted Him to death, and to the death 
of the Cross. — 2. Its excellence. This virtue is so 
exalted that, according to the Holy Ghost, it is 
better to obey than to offer sacrifice to God. At 
all times, sacrifice was appointed to render to the 
divine Majesty, the homage due to Him, and to 
appease His anger justly enkindled against man- 
kind; and yet, God prefers Obedience to sacrifice. 
Oh ! how beautiful is this virtue ! It is, says St. 
Vincent, as the aureola with which artists encircle 
the head of Saints, making them known as such, 
the moment we see them. — 3. Its admirable effects. 



132 SIXTH DAY. 

In performing all our actions through Obedience, 
we are sure of accomplishing the will of God^ and 
this is a source of peace, of spiritual jov, — an 
anticipated Paradise. On the contrary, there is no 
jDcace, where there is no Obedience; disobedient 
souls are in constant anxiety, they are insupportable 
even to themselves. — -i. Its necessity. A Com- 
munity cannot subsist without Obedience. What, 
indeed, would be the condition of a Community, if 
all the members wished to command, and no one 
be found to obey ? This would be a body whose 
members would not be united, a body without a 
head, — in a word, a horrible monster in the moral 
order I 

Second Poin'T. Dispositions we should have in 
regard to our Superiors, — The first thing that a good 
Sister of Charity ought to do, is to consider God in 
her Superioi^. Were she to obey only in considera- 
tion of the qualities of those in authority, she would 
lose all the merit of her Obedience before God, 
because she would not submit to Him, but to the 
creature ; nor would this apparent Obedience be of 
long duration ; for, should her Superiors chance to 
displease her, or should they be changed, she would 
cease to obey. Oh I how good, how advantageous 
it is to consider God in all things, and to act under 
all circumstances, by the spij'it of faith. Oh I how 
meritorious is such Obedience for eternal life I 

The second condition which a Sister of Charity 
should fulfil in order to make her Obedience agree- 



FIRST MEDITATION. 133 

able to God, is, to love her Superiors. If she is 
bound to love her companions, with how much 
greater reason is she obliged to love those who hold 
the place of God in her regard ! Therefore, she 
should repress all the repugnance and aversion she 
might conceive against them ; she ought to support 
them, notwithstanding their defects ; share their 
pains, pray for them, speak to them with openness 
of heart ; give them comfort, and avoid that abrupt 
and rude manner of acting, which bespeaks a faulty 
education and a bad heart. She ought to love them, 
but love them in God ; — that the love she entertains 
for them may be supernatural, and independent of 
their dispositions in her regard. 

Thirdly, she ought to respect them because they 
hold the place of God ; bearing in mind what our 
divine Saviour says, speaking of Superiors : '^ He 
who hears you hears me ; and he who despises you, 
despises me.^^ She ought to guard against con- 
temning them either in her mind, or exteriorly. Let 
her remember that Mary, the sister of Moses, was 
struck with leprosy, and banished from the camp, 
for having murmured against her brother ; and that 
the earth opened and swallowed up alive Core, Da- 
than, and Abiron, for murmuring against the servant 
of God. She should bear in mind, that a person who, 
through her own fault, is not on good terms with 
her Superiors, will not be on good terms with God. 

Third Point. Qualities of Obedience, — Obedi- 
ence should be prompt. The grace of God, says St. 



134 SIXTH DAY. 

Ambrose, knows no delay. Oh ! if we only reflected 
that we act for God, this thought would give us 
wings to execute promptly whatever is commanded 
us ! God attaches signal graces to promptitude in 
obeying. Oftentimes, it happens that all our success 
depends upon it. Our Lord says to St. Peter : 
" Leave your boats and nets, and come, follow me/^ 
Immediately, St. Peter abandons all things to do 
what Jesus Christ commands, and by this, he 
merits to be chosen Head of the Church. — 2. Obe- 
dience ought to be entire. A Sister should not 
content herself with obeying in one point, or doing 
only a part of what is commanded ; but, she should 
execute orders at the time, place, and in the manner 
indicated, and according to the intention of her 
Superiors. Of what avail would it be to comply 
with a part of the command and neglect the rest ? 
God suffers no rapine in the holocaust, He wishes 
our will entire. And that our Obedience may be 
entire, we must obey not only exteriorly, but conform 
our will interiorly ; that is, we must submit our 
judgment, and be convinced that in doing what is 
ordained, we perform what is incomparably more 
agreeable to God, than if we had followed our own 
inclination. — 3. Our Obedience must also, be cour- 
ageous ; that is, we should obey in all things, even 
such as are most repugnant ; and undertake the 
most difficult enterprises, if commanded, in imitation 
of Jesus Christ and the Saints. 



SECOND MEDITATION. 135 

4. In fine, our Obedience should be constant; 
that is, it must last to the end of our life, and become 
daily more perfect. To say that Obedience is not 
intended for an ancient Sister of the Community, is to 
assert that she has no right to the kingdom of heaven. 

O my God ! I renounce my own will, I wish, 
henceforth, to have no will but Thine. Speak, Lord 
Jesus, speak, command, I am entirely Thine. De- 
mand of me any sacrifice whatever, I am ready to make 
it ; I am ready to quit all and go wherever Thou 
pleasest. Hereafter, I shall not consider the person 
who commands ; but only Thee and Thy good 
pleasure in all things ; and I will place my happiness 
in having no will but Thine. 

Second Meditation. 

On Detachment 

First Point. Motives to practise Detachment. — 
1. Listen, O my soul, to the teachings of our 
divine Saviour : '^ No man,^^ says He, ^^ can serve 
two masters at the same tirae.^^ And, what are our 
attachments but imperious masters that daily de- 
mand of us what is opposed to the will of God ? 
And how can we say that we belong to God, while 
we are slaves to His enemies? Our Saviour de- 
clares to us that, unless we renounce all, we cannot 
be His disciples. 2. As Sisters of Charity, we are 
called to love God in the highest degree. But, how 



136 SIXTH DAY. 

can we do this if we love anything else ? To whom 
have you compared me, said the Lord, to His people 
of old, — to whom have you compared me? Alas ! 
He could well make us these reproaches. And, 
nevertheless, when God called us»to our holy Com- 
munity, He wished to make of us a perfect people, 
entirely devoted to Him, having only the interests 
of His glory at heart ; — a people who, by the spirit 
of renunciation, would shine as a brilliant light 
amid the darkness of a corrupt world. 

3. We are obliged to practise this virtue, on 
account of the duties imposed upon us by our 
Vocation. We shall be worthy instruments in 
doing good, only inasmuch as we shall be perfectly 
disengaged from all things. If we consider who 
those persons are to whom Almighty God, at all 
times, gave power to eflFect so much good, we shall 
see that they were great and generous souls, who 
renounced absolutely the things of earth, to seek 
God alone. The Apostles converted the world, 
because they left all things to attach themselves to 
Jesus Christ. Oh ! if Jesus were truly in our 
heart, if we prized Him above all earthly goods, 
we would effect wonders ; we would carry edifica- 
tion everywhere ; we would cause the love of this 
divine Saviour to reign in the hearts of all who 
come in contact with us. What a powerful motive, 
then, have we not, to labor earnestly to establish 
ourselves in this spirit of Detachment ! Ah ! may 
it please God to grant us the grace to seek Him 



SECOND MEDITATION. 137 

alone ! O my God^ attract our hearts so powerfully 
to Thee^ that the force of this attraction may entirely 
break the chains which fasten us to creatures ; that 
nothing may prevent us from loving Thee alone, 
oh, Thou, who shouldst be the only object of our 
love ! 

Second Point. Detachment from Exterior things. 
— Detachment consists in keeping our hearts free 
from all disorderly affections, either for creatures or 
for ourselves. God does not forbid a just, reason- 
able affection, but He forbids disorderly affections ; 
that is, those which divide our heart, which overrule 
the affection that we ought to have for Him ; which 
are an obstacle to the fulfilment of our duties, and 
which arrest, or retard us in the acquisition of per- 
fection. We ought to be detached not only from 
exterior goods, riches, etc., but also from our relatives. 
Our Lord recommends this, when He says, that he 
who does not renounce all, — father, mother, brothers, 
and sisters, is not worthy of Him. One of His 
disciples having asked leave to go and bury his 
father, Jesus said to him : Let the dead bury the 
dead ; teaching us that we should no longer concern 
ourselves about those we have left, — that we should 
forget them ; not that He forbids us to love them 
spiritually, to desire their good, and to pray for 
them ; but He wishes that the love we entertain for 
them be not terrestrial, but entirely supernatural. 
The Holy Spirit tells us that the protection of God 
will become the inheritance of him who says to his 



138 SIXTH DAY. 

father and mother : ^^ I know you not ; '' and to 
his brethren : '' I have forgotten you/^ And to 
souls called to a life in Community, He says : 
^^ Listen, O Daughter, and give ear to my word : 
Forget thy people and thy father's house, and the 
Lord, in exchange for this sacrifice, will choose thee 
for His well-beloved spouse/' Oh ! what a subject 
of joy for us, if our hearts are entirely detached 
from our relatives. It follows from this, that a 
Sister of Charity must also be detached from her 
country, she must no longer speak of it ; her true 
country is heaven, as St. Paul says. She ought to 
raise her eyes frequently to heaven, and sigh inces- 
santly for the happy moment, when it will be given 
her to possess it. 

She ought also to guard against becoming attached 
to persons with whom she has intercourse, whether 
Superiors, inferiors, or companions ; and be ready to 
abandon all at the voice of obedience. Jesus Christ 
makes no exception. " He who does not renounce 
all," says He, '' cannot be my disciple." Conse- 
quently, a Sister should be detached from places and 
employments ; be ready to live with all sorts of 
persons, to go wherever she may be sent, and fulfil 
any duty that may be intrusted to her ; like the 
servant of the Centurion mentioned in the Gospel, 
to whom he says : Go, and he goeth ; Come, and 
he cometh ; Do this, and he doeth it. 

Third Point. Detachment from Self. — " If any 
one," says our Saviour, '' wishes to become my dis- 



SECOND MEDITATION. 139 

ciple, he must renounce himself." Hence, we must 
be detached from our body. What is this body, but 
a little clay which will soon become the food of 
worms? It is a mark of a narrow and little mind, 
to esteem the beauty of the body, or to be too care- 
ful in point of dress ; this would be unworthy of 
a person consecrated to God. A Sister of Charity 
who knows not how to suffer with patience, will 
always be immortified, and will never make great 
progress in virtue. But this Detachment should 
penetrate even into the interior of our soul, and 
retrench all that is disorderly therein : the will, in 
order to bend it to the yoke of obedience ; the judg- 
ment, so as to suffer ourselves to be led like little 
children. To be unwilling to yield to the senti- 
ments of another, to maintain strongly our own 
views, and to wish others to conform to them, is to 
be attached to our own judgment. We ought even 
to be detached from the immoderate desire of suc- 
ceeding in our employments ; we must, doubtless, 
use every effort to acquit ourselves of them well, 
but we should leave the success thereof to God. 
We ought also, to detach ourselves from all spiritual 
consolations, and be ready to serve God in aridity, 
disgust, distractions, desolation, and abandonment, 
after the example of our divine Saviour. We should, 
moreover, be detached from our exercises of piety, 
and be ready to continue or leave them, according 
as the will of God may require. In fine, when we 
have done all that depends on us to acquit ourselves 



140 SIXTH DAY. 

faithfully of our duty, we should not be troubled or 
disquieted, fearing that we have not made sufficient 
effort; let us humble ourselves profoundly before 
God, but be on our guard against discouragement. 
Let us examine ourselves seriously on these divers 
points, and see, before God, if we are in this practice 
of Detachment. O my divine Saviour, grant us the 
grace to labor with courage to destroy within us all 
that is displeasing to Thee; or rather, speak Thyself 
and command these chains to fall, which hold us 
captive and prevent us from going to Thee. Thou 
didst draw the people after Thee into the desert; 
deign to attract us and unite us to Thee so strongly, 
that nothing, henceforth, will be able to separate us 
from Thee, who art our life, our joy, our consolation, 
and our happiness. 

Consideration. 

On the Manner of fulfilling our Duty, 

First Point, ^Vhy should we apply ourselves to 
discharge well our Duty? — 1. Because God has im- 
posed it upon us, and He will demand a rigorous 
account thereof. As, in the order of nature, each crea- 
ture occupies the place assigned by divine Providence ; 
in like manner, in Communities, this divine Provi- 
dence, through the medium of Superiors, who are 
His instruments, appoints to each member a parti- 
cular Duty. Hence, it follows, that God has intrusted 



CONSIDERATION. 1 41 

our Duty to us, and He imposes upon us the obliga- 
tion of discharging it properly ; for He will one day 
demand a severe account of the manner in which 
we have acquitted ourselves of it. It is written ; 
^^ Cursed is he who doth the work of the Lord neg- 
ligently.^^ This anathema would fall heavily upon 
us, should we be guilty of serious neglect in the 
accomplishment of the Duties of our office. Let us 
not expose ourselves to such a misfortune. 

2. We must discharge well our Duty, because 
our spiritual interests demand it. In faithfully 
attending to our office, the duties of which occupy 
the entire day, we are constantly doing the will of 
God. Does not perfection consist in this ? More- 
over, God will never be outdone in generosity ; 
what precious blessings will He not shed upon a 
Sister who, from morning till night, serves Him 
with a holy eagerness in the person of the poor ! In 
fine, is not this the surest means of gaining daily, 
new merits for heaven ? How many acts of charity, 
of mortification, of patience, we are obliged to 
practise in the fulfilment of any office in our 
Vocation ! Therefore, if we faithfully perform our 
Duty, we have every reason to hope, that, at the 
last day, our Lord will address these consoling 
words to us : " Come, ye blessed of my Father, for 
I was hungry, and you gave me to eat, etc.^^ 

3. We should fulfil the Duties of our office well, 
because the salvation of many souls depends upon 
it. The Church is specially solicitous for children, 



142 SIXTH DAY. 

for the poor^ and for the sick. She confides to us 
the important task of instructing children, of con- 
soling the poor, and of preparing the sick for a good 
death. By this means we can save many souls; 
but we cannot obtain this desirable result, unless 
we daily devote ourselves to the fulfilment of the 
Duty confided to us. A Sister of Charity will not 
save herself alone; she must, by her works of 
mercy, gain many souls to our Lord. What a 
happiness if she attains this end ! But, alas ! what 
a misfortune should it be otherwise ! Oh ! how 
well calculated is this reflection to excite within us 
the greatest zeal in the accomplishment of our 
Duty ! The sanctification of souls is so delicate a 
work, that sometimes a negligence, very slight in 
appearance, is sufficient to compromise it. 

Second Point. What must we do to fulfil in a 
proper manner the Duty confided to us? — 1. We 
should perform it with great purity of intention, — 
acting only for God, seeking only His glory and 
good pleasure ; void of this disposition, we lose, for 
heaven, all the fruit of our labors. 

2. We should discharge our Duty with humility; 
that is, we should not be elated on account of our 
success, but bear in mind what our divine Saviour 
tells us : that He who exalts himself, shall be 
humbled. If, then, a Sister takes complacency in 
the good she does, in the praises she receives, let 
her tremble; it will not be long before God will 
humble her. Let us, then, guard against being 



CONSIDERATION. 143 

elated with our success ; let it not cause us to elevate 
ourselves above our companions, or to assume an air 
of importance or of authority ; but let us address 
every one with respect, and look upon ourselves, as 
the humble servant of those with whom we have 
intercourse. 

3. We should be courageous in the discharge of 
our Duty ; that is, we should not suffer ourselves 
to be dejected by the difficulties we meet with, nor 
be disheartened on account of the little success we 
attain ; for God does not require of us success, He 
only demands that we do all that depends on us to 
succeed. God regards the good will alone; and 
He rewards our good desires as well as the highest 
success. 

4. We ought to fulfil our Duty in a spirit of sub- 
ordination : that is, we should act in obedience to 
what our Holy Rules prescribe, and in accordance 
with the will of our Superiors. Whatever is done 
out of the line of obedience, even should we effect 
wonders, could not be agreeable to God ; it would 
only draw upon us His chastisements. We ought 
not to follow our own lights, nor act of ourselves, 
if we wish God to bless us. Not only should we 
obey our Superiors, but even those whom the Sister 
Servant may place over us in duty. The Sisters 
who work together, should be on their guard not to 
contradict one another ; they should never contend, 
but be full of deference and condescension for one 
another, so that all may act in concert ; otherwise, 



144 SIXTH DAY. 

trouble and confusion would ensue, the Duty would 
be badly fulfilled, and our neighbor be scandalized. 

5. In fine, we must avoid over-eagerness, keeping 
the thought of God's presence always in the mind ; 
not so much concerned as to the exterior, but acting 
in a spirit of faith. Without this precaution, we 
lose the spirit of recollection ; we labor much, it is 
true, but like persons of the world ; so that we are 
only busy members of the Community, but not true 
Sisters of Charity. In consequence of this, our 
exercises of piety are much neglected ; they become 
irksome, and profit us very little, because the heart 
is not united with God. 

Examine if you have not been guilty of many 
failings in your Duty ; and, having humbled your- 
self before God, take eflicacious resolutions for the 
future. 

Thikd Point. What Means should a good 8ister of 
Charity take to accquit herself well of her Duty f — The 
first, is, to be convinced that she cannot succeed 
without the assistance of grace. She should, there- 
fore, have recourse to God, and ask for the light and 
strength necessary to perform her Duty well. 

The second means, is, to endeavor, as far as in 
her power, to acquaint herself with the rules of her 
particular Duty ; these rules are replete with wis- 
dom, and founded upon experience; consequently, 
she should observe them. 

Another means which may contribute to aid us 
in the well-performance of our Duty, is, to establish 



CONSIDERATION. 1 45 

ourselves, as St. Vincent teaches, in a holy indifference 
for the various employments with which we may be 
charged in the Company. We must guard against 
seeking one occupation in preference to another; 
because in so doing, we depart from the ways of 
Providence, to do our own will. Yet, if our 
Superiors wish to give us a duty for which we feel 
ourselves incompetent, we are permitted to make 
our representations to them, with respect and humility ; 
there is even an obligation for us to do this. 

One obstacle that might prevent you from dis- 
charging your Duty well, would be to give way to 
weariness and disgust, on account of the difficulties 
found therein, — thinking you could not save your 
soul while charged with that employment. Banish 
these thoughts immediately ; be persuaded that they 
proceed only from the demon who strives to deceive 
you : for never was any one lost in the practice of 
obedience, whereas, none have been saved by follow- 
ing their own will. Firmly resist all such tempta- 
tions, and do not yield to discouragement; God will 
always be with you in the midst of your difficulties ; 
and, by His grace, you will triumph over all 
obstacles. Yet, there are certain cases in which it 
is permitted to ask for a change of Duty ; for 
instance: if, on account of your weakness you would 
be exposed to commit considerable faults, and if 
your Duty should become for you an immediate 
cause of serious sin. In such a case there must be 
no hesitation, you should immediately ask for a 
10 



146 SIXTH DAY. 

change. But^ this should not be done on account 
of disinclination^ or trifling difficulties met with in 
our Duty. 

In fine, a last means, to enable you to do well 
what is prescribed you, is, to frequently call to 
mind the magnificent recompense which awaits you 
in heaven, if you consecrate your whole life to the 
service of the poor. 

Third Meditation. 

On the Service of the Poor. 

First Point. Motives which should induce you 
to apply with affection to the Service of the Poor, — 
The first motive, is, that God has called you to the 
Service of the Poor, preferably to so many others. 
'^ It is not you who have chosen me,^' said this 
divine Saviour, formerly, to His disciples, '' but it 
is I who have chosen you.^' Therefore, you are 
sure of doing the will of God when you are engaged 
in the Service of the Poor. But, are you not very 
happy to do always the will of God? Is there 
anything more perfect? 

A second motive which ought to act powerfully 
upon the heart of a Sister of Charity, is, that in 
applying herself to the duties of her state, she re- 
lieves the distressed and consoles the afflicted ; thus 
becoming a living image of Providence, who supplies 
the wants of mankind. Is it not the property of 



l^HIRD MEDlTATiOJSr. 147 

great souls to delight in doing good ? And not only 
does she relieve the corporal miseries of the Poor, 
but, what is still more important, she ministers to 
their spiritual needs; she teaches them to know God, 
to love, and serve Him. By inducing them to purify 
themselves from sin by a good confession, she snatches 
their souls from hell, and opens to them the gates of 
heaven. The day will come, when those souls whom 
she will have saved, will bless her during endless 
ages ; they will lay their crowns at her feet, testify- 
ing thereby, that, after God, they are indebted to 
her for their happiness. 

The third motive which should make a Sister of 
Charity love and cherish the Service of the Poor, 
is, the advantages derived therefrom. She finds in 
her Vocation the means of obtaining the remission 
of her sins ; for it is written : '^ Blessed are the 
merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. '^ She will 
easily attain a high degree of perfection, because, 
charity being the most excellent of all virtues, the 
acts which she constantly makes of this virtue, 
render her most agreeable to God. She daily ac- 
quires new merits, and lays up treasures for heaven 
which will never perish. In fine, her death will be 
happy and precious before God ; and when she 
presents herself at the tribunal of Jesus Christ, it 
will be with the sweet confidence of receiving 
the recompense promised in the Gospel, to those 
who will have lived in the exercise of works of 
mercy. 



148 SIXTH DAY. 

O my divine Saviour ! what thanks shall I reuder 
Thee, for having called me, unworthy as I am, to so 
exalted a Vocation ! Yes, I hope, henceforth, to 
more fully appreciate Thy infinite goodness towards 
me; and I now take the resolution, not to allow a 
day to pass without thanking Thee for having called 
me into the Company of the Sisters of Charity. 

Second Point. How should we serve the Poor? — 
We should be as mothers to them ; consequently, we 
should show that we are happy to bestow, personally, 
the cares which their condition requires; and we 
should guard against transferring this duty to domes- 
tics. A Sister who, without necessity, employs 
others to render assistance to the sick, which she 
herself could give, shows that she does not appreciate 
the dignity and sublimity of her Vocation ; and 
she deprives herself of the precious merits she would 
have gained by serving them; and should this fre- 
quently occur, she would deserve to be rejected by 
God, and deprived of a Vocation of which she 
proves herself unworthy. 

A Sister of Charity, says St. Vincent, should serve 
the Poor with compassion, mildness, respect, and de- 
votion. 1. With compassion. She ought to have 
for them a heart filled with charity ; she should feel 
deeply their sorrows, their afflictions, and their suf- 
ferings ; and, in some measure share them, after the 
example of the Apostle who was weak with the 
weak, who mingled his tears with those w4io wept, 
in order the better to console them in their trials and 



II 



THIRD MEDITATION. 149 

afflictions. — 2. With mildness ; that is to say, she 
should be full of meekness in their regard, bearing 
patiently with their defects, their importunities, their 
ill-will, and even the injuries she may receive from 
them. Her words ought to breathe this spirit of 
meekness; she should say nothing calculated to hum- 
ble, sadden, or irritate them.— 3. With cordiality. 
She should not appear before them with a dejected 
or forbidding countenance; everything in her man- 
ner, words, and bearing, should bespeak charity. — 4. 
With respect. She calls the Poor her lords and 
masters; therefore, let her conduct be in accordance 
with this title so dear to her heart. Let her treat 
the Poor as she would treat our Lord, Himself; that 
in all her actions she may be deferential and atten- 
tive. — 5. With devotion. Let the services which a 
Sister of Charity renders to the Poor, be inspired by 
the spirit of faith, by the desire of pleasing God ; in 
a word, let them be as an exercise of piety. In 
truth, the principal end she should propose to herself 
in serving the Poor, should be to convert and sanctify 
them. She should, therefore, be animated with a 
great desire to procure their salvation, and do all 
that depends upon her to bring them to God, if they 
have had the misfortune of straying from Him — 
bearing in mind what these souls have cost Jesus 
Christ. To this effect, she should teach them the 
principal truths of Religion ; above all, such as are 
necessary by precept, and those of necessity as means ; 
she should teach them to bear their suflferings and 



150 SIXTH DAY. 

trials with patience ; advise them to make good gen- 
eral confessions, dispose them for a happy death, and 
be vigilant, that they receive, in time, the Sacraments 
they need. In a word, she should regard their souls 
as a deposit intrusted to her by Jesus Christ, and of 
which she will have to render an account, should 
they be lost through her fault. 

Third Point. Means to be adopted in order to 
serve the Poor well, — The first means, is, frequently 
to call to mind how we ourselves would wish to be 
treated were we in their place. Doubtless, we would 
wish our defects to be borne with, to be spoken to 
with kindness; that everything necessary for our 
comfort would be provided ; that our sufferings 
would meet with compassion, and that our com- 
plaints would be listened to with feelings of tender- 
ness. This, therefore, is the manner in which we 
should act towards the Poor, since, according to the 
divine precept, we must love our neighbor as 
ourselves. The second means, is, to bear constantly 
in mind that the Poor are our lords and masters, 
that we are only their servants, and that it is a great 
honor for us to minister unto them. We should, 
then, address them as a respectful servant speaks to 
his master. We should also remember, that these 
poor people are the children of God, — His beloved 
children ; and that He has confided them to us, 
intending that we shall bestow upon them our 
services and cares, with all the tenderness that 
prompts a mother to nurse a beloved child. 



THIBB MEDITATION. 151 

The third means, is, to be deeply impressed by 
the words of Jesus Christ : that He considers as 
done to Himself what you do to the Poor; and that 
the destitute and afflicted whom you are called to 
sei've, are His suffering members. Oh ! if a Sister 
of Charity were well convinced of this truth, with 
what eagerness, with what joy, and happiness, would 
she discharge her duties in the Service of the Poor! 
Think often of this. When the Poor call on you 
for something, when you speak to them, when you 
wait upon them, when you dress their wounds, 
always behold Jesus Christ in their person. 

The fourth means, is, to recall to mind the senti- 
ments of our Lord towards the afflicted, while He 
was upon earth : ^' I have compassion on the multi- 
tude,^^ said He to His disciples, ^^ for behold, they 
have now continued with me three days, and have 
nothing to eat.^^ We know that this divine Saviour 
mingled His tears with those in distress. Bear in 
mind, that you are called to imitate Him ; always 
keep your eyes fixed upon Him to copy His great 
charity. 

In fine, a last means, is, to think of the great 
and magnificent recompense awaiting a good Sistef 
of Charity who will have served the Poor well ! 
Oh ! how beautiful will be her crown in heaven ! 
A cup of cold water given in the name of our Lord 
shall not remain unrewarded ; what, therefore, may 
she not expect, who daily, nay hourly, devotes 
herself to works of mercy, consecrating thereto her 



152 SIXTH DAY. 

strength and health, her intelligence, her whole 
soul! Let us, then, repeat from our heart: Oh! 
how sublime is our Vocation ! How preferable to 
all earthly dignities, to all the empires of the world ! 
I thank Thee, O my God, for having called me to it ! 



FIRST MEDITATION. 153 



SEVENTH DAY. 



First Meditation. 

On Our Holy Rules. 

First Point. Why should we observe our Holy 
Rules ? — We should observe them first, because they 
are the expression of the will of God in our regard. 
True, they have been given to us by St. Vincent, 
but this Blessed Father was in this, only the instru- 
ment of divine Providence ; he himself declares that 
he never thought of forming the Company of Sisters 
of Charity, that it was God, Himself, who did it. 
Now, if God has established our Community, He is, 
undoubtedly, the Author of our Rules, since they 
are the foundation upon which the edifice of our 
Company rests. God is the author of them, inas- 
much as, by the grace and light accorded to St. 
Vincent, He, in some measure, inspired them ; or, 
at least. He granted special assistance for the accom- 
plishment of this important work. We should, then, 
regard our Holy Rules, not as the work of man, 
but the work of God, Himself. Hence, although the 
Rules do not, of themselves, oblige under pain of sin ; 
we cannot infringe them without deviating from the 
order of Providence; — without acting contrary to the 
designs of God over us; and, consequently, without 
exposing ourselves to the commission of many sins. 



154 SEVENTH DAY. 

We ought to observe our Holy Rales, secondly, 
because they are the channels by which God wishes 
to communicate to us the spirit of our Vocation 
and maintain it within us ; He has ordained them 
for this purpose. Without this spirit, we would be 
a body without a soul ; we would have the appear- 
ance, the exterior, the Habit of a Sister of Charity, 
but we would not, in reality, be Sisters of Charity 
in the eyes of God. 

We ought to observe our Holy Rules, thirdly, in 
order to succeed in our employments in relation to 
the poor. How^ could a Sister expect to succeed in 
her duties if she neglects to employ the means 
pointed out by God. Will her own ideas be preferable 
to the regulations of divine Wisdom? In doing her 
own will she would deprive herself of the blessing 
of God, and without this blessing what good could 
she effect ? 

We should observe our Holy Rules, fourthly, to 
preserve the good spirit of the Company ; for, a 
Community in which the Rules are not observed, is 
in a state of decay, it must perish. Would we sub- 
ject our Company, which is our Mother, to this 
condition ? 

Second Point. How should we observe our Holy 
Rules? — 1. With love; for God has given them to 
us, and given them to us for our good. What a 
motive to make us love them and place our happiness 
in the observance of them ! By fidelity to our Rules, 



FIRST MEDITATION. 155 

we are sure of doing what is pleasing to God. What 
a consolation ! 

2. With promptitude : regarding the sound of the 
bell as the expression of the will of God, and leaving 
all at the first signal. 

3. With great exactitude. There is not a single 
point of our Holy Rules but comes to us from God ; 
not one, that may not draw upon us the greatest 
benedictions, if we obey it. It is in the faithful 
observance of little things that we testify a true 
desire to please God ; and to this fidelity, God gives 
His most abundant graces. 

4. We should observe onr Holy Rules at all times 
and in all places ; whether we are alone, or under the 
eyes of our Superiors, or of our companions. Tf we 
act differently, it would be a proof that we did not 
observe them for God ; and thus we would lose all 
the merit of our actions. 

5. With courage : that is, nothing in the world 
should prevent us from observing them ; we should 
be careful not to fail in them through human re- 
spect, or through fear of displeasing slothful com- 
panions, against the influence of whose pernicious 
example, we should strengthen ourselves, and not 
fear their little persecutions. We should have a 
greater fear of displeasing God than of incurring 
the displeasure of creatures ; we should bear in 
mind that Jesus Christ has said : that He would 
be ashamed of him before His Father, who would 
blush to acknowledge Him before men. Wo to a 



156 SEVENTH DAY. 

Sister of Charity who neglects her Holy Rules ! 
Wo to a Sister Servant who does not insist upon 
the faithful observance of them ! Although they 
do not oblige under penalty of sin, nevertheless, it 
is very seldom that those who fail therein do not 
sin ; because they act through vanity, or sensuality, 
or, they scandalize others ; or, in fine, because they 
- place themselves in the impossibility of fulfilling 
a duty binding on the conscience. Moreover, 
there are points of Rule which prescribe certain 
things already ordained by the commandments of 
God, or those of the Church, or are the object of 
our holy vows. 

O my God, I acknowledge that I have been very 
unfaithful to my Holy Rules; henceforth, I will 
strive to observe them all, particularly those which 
I have so frequently transgressed, as silence; which, 
however, is so necessary for the preservation of the 
interior spirit. 

Third Point. What Means should we adopt for 
the faithful observance of our Holy Rules f — 1. We 
should often consider the precious advantages which 
they procure us : they are the means of doing pen- 
ance, of drawing upon us and upon our works the 
benedictions of God ; they shield us from countless 
dangers, help us to advance in virtue and in the 
spirit of our Vocation ; they are a source of merit 
for heaven ; they enable us to save many souls re- 
deemed by the Blood of Jesus Christ ; in fine, they 
procure for us a happy death, precious in the sight 



FIKST MEDITATION. 157 

of the Lord. Do not these advantages more than 
compensate for the little sacrifices imposed upon us 
by the faithful observance of our Rules? 2. To 
adopt as models, those Sisters who are the most 
exact, the most virtuous ; and to shun the danger of 
being influenced by those who are less edifying. — 
3. When we find any difficulty in the observance 
of a point of Rule, for example, rising at four 
o'clock, let us not decide for ourselves; but have 
recourse to our Superiors, begging them to give us 
the line of conduct we should follow ; for very 
often, under the pretext of shielding our health, or 
of fulfilling better the duties of our office, we omit 
habitually, and without sufficient reason, certain 
exercises of piety. — 4. To ask ourselves, from time 
to time, during the day, the question which St. 
Bernard constantly put to himself: Why did I come 
to the Community? Was it not to do the will of 
God? — 5. To listen with religious attention to the 
reading of the Holy Rules, adding thereto these 
acts : Thanksgiving to God who vouchsafed to give 
them to us ; regret for having failed in them ; a 
a firm purpose to be more exact in future. — 6. Every 
evening, to examine carefully if we have observed 
all our Holy Rules ; to humble ourselves for our 
failings, and in all sincerity, accuse ourselves of 
them either in confession, or in presence of our 
companions. — 7. To call to mind, from time to time, 
that we shall be examined by the Sovereign Judge, 
on our fidelity in the observance of our Holy Rules ; 



158 SEVENTH DAY. 

and to ask of God the grace to avoid all illusion on 
this important point. 

O divine Saviour, who hast given us Rules by 
the aid of which we are sure never to go astray, and 
to arrive safely at the port of eternal salvation, 
vouchsafe to grant us the grace to observe them, 
henceforth, witii the greatest exactitude. 



Second Meditation. 

On Humility, 

First Point. Necessity of Humility. — 1. Hu- 
mility is necessary in order to render us agreeable 
to God. He, Himself, declares that the proud are 
an abomination to Him, that they are hateful in His 
sight. No sooner does pride enter into the hearts 
of the Angels, than God precipitates them into hell. 
The Holy Spirit teaches us that God resists the 
proud, but gives His grace to the humble. We 
must, therefore, O my soul, strive to establish 
ourselves in Humility ; for if this virtue does not 
dwell in us, we shall be in the eyes of God, an 
object of horror. 

2. Humility is absolutely necessary for us, if we 
wish to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Everywhere 
this divine Saviour preaches Humility to us ; He 
says : '^ Learn of me because I am humble of heart.'^ 
He declares that : He who exalts himself, shall be 
humbled, and he who humbles himself, shall be 



SECOND MEDITATION. 159 

exalted. He recommends us always to choose the 
last place, to shun honors and dignities. On one 
occasion, He caused a little child to be placed in the 
midst of His Apostles, and declared to them that, 
unless they became as little children, they would 
never enter the kingdom of heaven. But, the divine 
Master was not content with giving us lessons of 
Humility, He confirms them by the most beautiful 
examples. He annihilates Himself, according to 
the expression of St. Paul, in taking the form of a 
slave. His birth. His life. His death, are but a 
succession of humiliations. He was born in a stable, 
taking indeed, the last place in coming into the 
world. During thirty years, He led a hidden life, 
obedient to His holy Mother and to St. Joseph. 
During His public life, instead of seeking honors, 
He fled when the people wished to make Him king, 
and retired into the desert. Finally, during His 
Passion, He is so overwhelmed with opprobrium, 
that, in the eyes of the Prophet, He is but a worm 
of the earth. Could we say that we are the disciples 
of such a Master, if, far from profiting by His 
lessons and example, we yield to pride, vanity, and 
self-love? 

3. Humility is necessary for us, in order that we 
may be true Daughters of St. Vincent, who declares 
that Humility is the first of the virtues that con- 
stitute our spirit ; to show us that it is absolutely 
necessary, and that it must be the foundation of all 
other virtues. Hence, he incessantly recommends 



160 SEVENTH BAY. 

it to us in the most express terms. If we have not 
Humility, we shall never be true Sisters of Charity ; 
we may have the Habit, but not the spirit ; we may 
perform the exterior works of our Vocation, but 
these will be dead works, or, at least, will be void 
of merit before God. The greatest misfortune for 
a Sister of Charity, is, not to labor to establish 
herself in Humility. 

Second Point. Conditions of true Humility. — 
The first condition, says St. Vincent, is, sincerely to 
despise ourselves, and to be convinced that we merit 
only the contempt of our equals. We shall enter 
into these sentiments, if we apply ourselves to con- 
sider what we were, what we are now, and what we 
shall one day become. — What were you a hundred 
years ago ? A mere nothing. What is your body, — 
that body which has so often been the cause of 
vanity, and which is still, perhaps, the object of too 
much solicitude ? It is only a little clay which, in 
a few days, will become the food of worms. The 
Prophet declares that you were conceived in iniquity 
and engendered in sin. — What will you one day be? 
Your body will return to the earth whence it was 
drawn ; but whither will your soul go ? Oh ! if we 
reflected on all this, how could we esteem ourselves, 
how could we desire others to esteem us ? 

The second condition of Humility, says again 
St. Vincent, is to rejoice that others know our 
imperfections, and on this acccount, despise us. 
Therefore, we should be pleased when our faults 



SECOND MEDITATION. 161 

are perceived, when little attention is paid to us; 
v/hen we are slighted^ set aside. Alas ! how far 
are we from these dispositions ! Instead of lov- 
ing contempt and humiliations^ we seek praise 
and admiration ; those who flatter us, are always 
graciously welcomed by us, but those who contemn 
us, meet only with rebuffs on our part ; we cannot 
endure them, their presence excites in us senti- 
ments of aversion. Instead of bearing patiently 
the insults, the misconduct of others, we eagerly 
seize the opportunity to avenge ourselves. Ah ! how 
remote are we from true Humility ! 

The third condition of Humility, according to 
St. Vincent, is, that if God effects any good in us, 
or by us, we should, as far as possible, conceal it 
from others ; for, if we are pleased that what we 
have done be made known to others, it is a proof 
that we do not act solely for God ; we should also 
conceal this good from ourselves ; because, if we take 
complacency in the good we do, we lose the fruit of 
it. We cannot take any vanity whatever in the 
good we effect, without rendering ourselves guilty 
of injustice towards God, because of ourselves, we 
are not capable of any good. The Apostle declares 
that all our sufficiency comes from God, and that 
we are incapable even of a good thought. 

Let us beseech St. Vincent to obtain for us the 
grace to practise true Humility in the manner he has 
taught us. 
11 



162 SEVENTH DAY. 

Third Point. Means of acquiring Humility. — 
The first means, is, frequently to consider the ex- 
ample of the Saints, and, above all, the truly 
admirable example which St. Vincent has left us. 
We know the good he effected during his life, the 
eminent perfection to which he attained, the works 
he accomplished, the glory which he procured to 
God, the souls he saved. And, yet, what idea had 
he of himself? St. Vincent regarded himself as a 
useless servant, a great sinner, as the abomination 
of the universe. Ah ! if with so many virtues and 
so many good works, he entertained such lowly 
sentiments of himself, what should we think of our- 
selves, filled with so many miseries, covered with 
sins, and destitute of virtue ? 

A second means, is, to exercise great vigilance 
over our thoughts, words, and actions. 1. Over our 
thoughts; it does not depend upon us to prevent 
thoughts of vanity from arising within us ; but it 
does depend upon us not to consent to them. We 
must reject them, and testify to God the horror with 
which they inspire us. But, let us not be content 
with disavowing them, let us make use of them to 
humble ourselves ; and if the demon perceives that 
we profit by all his attacks to strengthen ourselves 
more in Humility, he will desist from combats which 
turn only to his shame and to our profit. — 2. Over 
our words, to avoid every fault contrary to Humility : 
speaking advantageously of ourselves, seeking to be 
distinguished by our manner of conversing ; appear- 



SECO^^D MEDITATION. 163 

ing witty^ wishing to take precedence of others. — 3. 
Over our actions : before commencing them, we 
should always propose to ourselves the good pleasure 
of God; while performing them, we should reject 
every sentiment of complacency, of self-seeking; 
after completing them, we should refer all the glory 
to God. 

In fine, a last means, is, to apply yourself to acts 
of this virtue of Humility. Every day, you perform 
certain exterior acts of Humility, as kissing the floor, 
etc. ; animate these acts by an inward sentiment of 
Humility. Occasionally you meet with humiliations ; 
accept these with a willing heart; offer them to our 
Lord, and promptly banish all thoughts of bitterness 
which would trouble the peace of your soul. Every 
morning, resolve to perform some acts of Humility ; 
foresee the circumstances attending them, and be firm 
against the repugnances of nature. You will be 
obliged to do great violence to yourself in the begin- 
ning ; but afterwards, these acts will be made with 
greater facility, and you will enjoy a consolation 
that will amply indemnify you for all the sacrifices 
you will have made. 

O divine Jesus, meek and humble of heart, deign 
to bless the resolutions with which Thou hast 
inspired me during this meditation ; and grant me 
the grace to put them in practice, that I may one day 
share Thy glory in heaven. 



164 SEVENTH DAY. 

C0>'SIDEEATI0X. 

On the Presence of God, 

FiEST PoiXT. Motives which should lead us to the 
Practice of the Presence of God. — 'We know that by 
His immeusity, God is present everywhere, and that 
in Him, as St. Panl says, we live, and move. 

But. it is not sufficient that we know and believe 
this truth : we should frequently bring the thought 
of it to mind; this is a most useful practice. First, 
it is one of the most efficacious means of avoiding sin. 
And, in fact, if we dread the looks of a person for 
whom we have some regard : if the presence of that 
person suffices to put us on our guard, because we 
fear to displease him. should not the thought of 
God^s Presence be much more efficacious? Where is 
the Sister of Charity who would commit a sin, were 
she saying to herself: At this moment God is look- 
ing at me, His eyes are fixed upon me: He is my 
Judge ; if I commit this fault. He can punish and 
annihilate me ! He is my Father, and the best of 
Fathers; His Heart is always burning with love for 
me, is always open to receive me, and to shed His 
benedictions upon me; how, then, could I grieve 
Him I The exercise of the Presence of God is, there- 
fore, an excellent preservative against sin. — Secondly : 
it is also a means of easily acquiring high perfection ; 
we cannot doubt this, since God, Himself, says to us 
in the persun of His servant Abraham: *'Walk be- 



CONSIDER atio:n. 165 

fore me, and be perfect/^ A Sister, consequently, 
who performs all her actions in the Presence of God, 
will attain perfection in a short time. Is there any- 
thing better calculated to warm the heart, to reani- 
mate our languishing fervor, and to excite us to great 
generosity in the service of God ? Alas ! we know 
all this, and yet, we continue to live in a dissipated 
manner, as if we were not convinced. Ah ! what a 
subject of humiliation for us ! 

Second Point. In what does the Practice of the 
Presence of God consist f — This practice consists in 
being well penetrated with the truth that God is 
everywhere ; that He sees us, that He searches the 
most hidden thoughts of our mind. This considera- 
tion should induce us to have recourse to Him in 
all places, to bless and praise Him; it should pre- 
serve us in the greatest modesty, and make us enter 
into the dispositions of the heavenly Intelligences, 
who incessantly contemplate Him with hearts pene- 
trated with the deepest respect and love. We may 
also consider God communicating Himself to us in 
the use we make of the creatures that have been 
given to us, whether for our necessities, utility, or 
pleasure. — Thus, we may reflect that it is God who 
warms us by the fire He has created ; who dissi- 
pates the darkness by the light He has made; who 
nourishes us by the food we take. These considera- 
tions may powerfully contribute to augment in our 
hearts the fire of charity, and inflame us with divine 
love in a short time. For how could we be other- 



166 SEVENTH DAY. 

wise than pressed to love ardently a God who is so 
good to us, so attentive to provide for our wants? 

But, the most excellent manner of practising the 
Presence of God, consists in representing Him in 
the midst of our soul. It is certain, that when we 
are in the state of grace, God dwells within us ; 
He takes His delight in our hearts, as He declares 
in the Holy Scripture. St. Paul invites us to 
glorify God, and to bear Him in our bodies ; that 
is, we should look upon ourselves as the living 
tabernacles of the true God ; we should honor Him 
as residing in our souls ; offer Him continual sac- 
rifices of praise and thanksgiving ; we should re- 
spect our bodies as consecrated and sanctified by the 
Presence of God, and always conduct ourselves with 
great reserve and modesty, as persons who carry 
God within their hearts. This is the best manner 
of practising the Presence of God, and we may add, 
that it is the most useful and the most easy. St. 
Augustine declares, that after having, in vain, sought 
God for a long time, out of himself, he found Him 
at last, within himself. This was the practice of 
St. Vincent, who so earnestly recommends it to us. 
Let us examine if we have been faithful to it. 

Thikd Point. Means to be adopted in the Prac- 
tice of the Presence of Ood, — First means : To 
avoid dissipation of mind. The eyes, eager to see 
all things, are the windows of the soul, through 
which, with the image of exterior objects, dissipa- 
tion of mind and forgetfulness of God enter into 



CONSIDERATION. 167 

it. The ears, ever ready to listen, fill the interior 
with distracting novelties. The tongue,which knows 
no restraint, robs the heart of sentiments of piety, 
to such an extent, says St. Augustine, that a great 
talker is never an interior man. Hence, it follows, 
that unless we mortify the exterior senses — the eyes, 
the ears, the tongue — we shall never walk in the 
Presence of God. But, interior mortification is no 
less important. If we allow the imagination to be 
filled with vain and useless thoughts, there will be 
a tumult within us, less boisterous, perhaps, than 
that of the world, but none the less disastrous. 
Hence, with this interior agitation, the practice of 
the Presence of God is evidently incompatible. 

2. The second means, is : To avoid self-seeking 
in what we do. If we seek ourselves, we shall 
always find ourselves with all our miseries and 
imperfections; but, if we seek God purely and simply, 
we are sure of finding Him, We often complain 
that our occupations prevent us from being recollected; 
but the evil does not proceed from this source, but 
from seeking ourselves in the perforuiance of our 
duty. This is the cause of our over-anxiety and of 
the thousand fears and desires that arise within us, 
and hinder us from finding God. We shall never 
be so overwhelmed with affairs as St. Vincent was; 
and yet, his important and multiplied duties, were 
no hindrance to the practice of the Presence of God. 
Let us iuiplore this great Saint to impart to us his 
spirit of recollection. 



16S SETE^^TH DAT. 

3. Third means : To determine certain times, 
and choose some special signs that will recall the 
Presence of God. In this way, we contract the 
habit recommended by St. Vincent, of thinking of 
God at the beginning of our principal actions, and 
when we hear the clock strike. Let the sight of the 
Crucifix, of a statue of the Blessed Virgin, of the 
place where our Lord resides, remind us of the 
Presence of God. At these moments, in imitation of 
St. Vincent, let us make some ejaculatory prayer 
which, coming from the heart, will go straight to 
God, drawing down upon as the grace of recollection. 
This is the means of keepinor our mind ever directed 
to God ; because each pious aspiration increases in the 
soul the sacred fire of charity. 

4. Fourth means : To observe faithfully the Eule 
of silence. The Holy Spirit, in speaking of the 
faithful soul, says : '" I will lead her into solitude 
and there I will speak to her heart.'^ The Rule of 
silenc-e well observed, transforms each of our Houses 
into a solitude wherein the Holy Spirit wishes to 
converse with us. In order to hear Him when He 
speaks, we must refrain from useless conversation 
with creatures ; this is the best disposition for 
entertaining oui*selves with God. Oh ! how neces- 
sary is silence I 

Let us examine if we have been faithful in 
employing these divers means in order to establish 
ourselves in the practice of the Presence of G^ i. 



third meditation. 169 

Third Meditation. 
On Simplicity, 

First Point. Why should roe practise Simpli- 
city? — 1. Because this virtue has been earnestly 
recommended by our divine Saviour : " Be ye 
simple as doves/^ says this amiable Master to us. 
O my divine Saviour, I wish to give myself to 
Thee to practise this beautiful virtue. But, our 
Lord is not content to recommend it, He declares 
that it is necessary : ^^ Unless you become as little 
children,^^ says He to us, '' you shall not enter into 
the kingdom of heaven.'^ 

2. Because St. Vincent tells us, that this virtue 
is one of the three that constitute the spirit of our 
Vocation. True village-girls, says this Blessed 
Father, are extremely simple ; they employ no arti- 
fice, no words of double meaning ; and they believe 
simply what you tell them. In this, you should 
imitate them ; for you will never be true Daughters 
of Charity, if you are not perfectly simple. Why 
is this virtue so necessary for us? Because we are 
called to labor among the poor and ignorant, and 
there is no better means to succeed, than by Sim- 
plicity. Oh ! how much good will not a Sister of 
Charity effect, if she possesses Simplicity ! Those 
whom she serves will always be disposed to listen 
to her; they will believe all she says, because they 
will be convinced that she does not try to deceive 



170 SEVENTH DAY. 

them ; that in all her words and action?, she does 
not seek herself, but only God ; and, because she 
seeks God alone in all things, He, on His part, will 
bless her in all her undertakings, and give success 
to all she does. 

3. We should practise Simplicity because of the 
precious advantages it procures us. The Holy 
Spirit tells us that God is pleased to converse wiih 
the simple, to entertain Himself with them, as a 
friend with a friend. Oh I what a happiness for a 
Sister of Charity to have it in her power to enjoy 
the most intimate communications with her God ! 
We are well aware that these communications are a 
source of the sweetest consolations and of the most 
abundant graces I She will be in the condition of 
our first parents in the garden of Paradise, when 
God was pleased to hold converse with them. O 
my God I Thou who hast so much recommended 
the beautiful virtue of Simplicity to us, make us 
comprehend the precious advantages attached thereto, 
and inspire us with great horror for every kind of 
duplicity. 

Second Point. SimpUcitu of heart , or Purity of 
Intention. — Simplicity of heart requires that we seek 
God alone in all things. For this reason, St. 
Francis de Sales calls Simplicity, a pure act of the 
love of God. This state may be called an Angelic 
state, a state entirely divine, since we become like 
to God, who has no other end than Himself. It 
may also be termed an anticipated paradise, because 



THIRD MEDITATION. 171 

we do upon earth what the Saints already do in 
heaven. Oh ! how happy the Sisters of Charity 
who are simple, since they live the life of Angels, 
even the life of God, Himself, and commence their 
paradise upon earth ! Simplicity of heart makes us 
forget ourselves entirely, to seek only the interests 
of God. Oh ! happy inspiration, which makes all 
our actions meritorious for heaven, and by which we 
daily amass new treasures ! — Simplicity of heart 
prevents over-nicety in regard to exercises of 
piety; it goes simply and honestly to God, casting 
itself at His feet, as a child in the arms of its mother ; 
and, as it seeks only the good pleasure of God, it is 
ever contented, whether God sends the sweetness of 
His consolations, or tries it by aridity. 

A Sister of Charity who possesses this virtue of 
Simplicity, listens with love to the word of God, 
and meditates thereon in silence, without consider- 
ing who preaches, or his manner of delivery ; it 
is enough for her that it is the word of God, con- 
sequently, she receives it with respect and a holy 
avidity ; she guards against making it the subject 
of criticism or of pleasantry. In her confessions, 
she acknowledges her faults with candor, never 
seeking to make herself less guilty than she is; she 
receives with docility the advices given to her, and 
is eager to put them in practice. She does not seek 
herself in the choice of confessors ; she sees only 
God in their person, and she reaps the most 
abundant fruit from her confessions. If she reads. 



172 SEVENTH DAY. 

it is not to become more learned, but to become 
better; she wants but few books; she reads but 
little at a time, and meditates a great deal. O 
Jesus, grant us this Simplicity of heart ! 

Third Point. Simplicity in Wo7'ds and Ac- 
tions. — Simplicity in words consists in saying things 
just as they are, without equivocation or restriction. 
A Sister of Charity who possesses this spirit of 
Simplicity, speaks truthfully, exactly as she thinks, 
unless prudence dictates silence; she then maintains 
a wise reserve, but never says anything contrary 
to what she thinks. She has as great a horror of 
lying, as of the gates of hell. She avoids all kinds 
of flattery, in order to gain the affection of any one; 
she guards against affectation in her manner of 
speaking, and shuns all that betrays research in 
her conversation. 

2. Simplicity in action makes a Sister of Charity 
avoid all manner of subterfuge in what she does, 
acting with great candor. She is simple in her 
dress, avoiding all over-nicety; simple in her gait, 
shunning all worldly airs assumed by those who 
are desirous to please; simple in her manners,which 
are always accompanied with great modesty. She 
is not haughty or domineering over her inferiors, 
she is distinguished only by her kindness and 
charity. With regard to her Superiors she is like 
a child, opening her heart to them with the most 
charming frankness. If they give her a command, 
she obeys immediately ; she is ignorant of all delays; 



THIRD MEDITATION. 173 

she does not consider if the order she receives be 
agreeable or otherwise, if Superiors were right or 
wrong in commanding her ; if they commanded 
with harshness or sweetness : she knows only how 
to obey. 

Oh ! how rarely do we find souls in possession of 
this true Simplicity ! Let us examine how we stand 
in regard to the practice of this virtue. Doubtless, 
in reflecting attentively upon ourselves, we shall be 
forced to acknowledge that we have been wanting 
in this virtue, that we have committed many faults 
against it ; we must deplore these faults, and resolve, 
in future, to avoid them. O divine Saviour, who 
didst come upon earth to withdraw us from the path 
that leads to perdition, and who didst point out 
Simplicity as an infallible means of avoiding it, 
deign to bestow this beautiful virtue upon us ; grant 
that our hearts, captivated with the charms which 
it contains, may ardently desire to acquire it ; that 
we may seek but Thee, O Jesus, who shouldst be 
the only object of our love. 



174 EIGHTH DAY. 



EIGHTH DAY. 



First Meditation. 

On Charity. 

First Point. Particular reasons that oblige us 
to practise Fraternal Charity, — 1. We are Daughters 
of Charity. ^^ They shall often think of the name 
of Daughters of Charity which they have the honor 
to bear^ say our Holy Rules^ and endeavor to render 
themselves worthy of it, by a true and sincere love 
for God and their neighbor; above all, they shall 
cherish one another. O my Saviour, what more 
beautiful name could be found than that of Daugh- 
ter of Charity ! Is there any to be compared to it? 
O my Sisters, what a motive to give yourselves to 
God to become worthy of so glorious a title/^ ex- 
claims St. Vincent. — 2. We are Daughters of St. 
Vincent, and St. Vincent is the apostle of Charity, 
the Patron of all charitable associations. If we 
do not love one another, we shall be unworthy to 
have such a Father; he would not own us for his 
Daughters. — 3. We are Sisters ; and, as our Holy 
Rules say, our Lord has assembled us for His 
service. But if, in a family, sisters according to 
nature, are instinctively inclined to love one another, 
should not we who are united by ties far more 
excellent, have for one another a true, sincere, and 



FIRST MEDITATION. 175 

supernatural affection? — 4. We are spouses of Jesus 
Christ. But what is the great precept of the divine 
Saviour ? Is it not Charity ? Does He not tell 
us that His disciples will be recognized by this 
mark? Without Charity, we cannot call ourselves 
Christians ; how, then, could we assume to ourselves 
the glorious title of spouses of Jesus Christ ? — 5. 
God has called and assembled us to honor our Lord 
Jesus Christ as the source and model of all Charity. 
What ! after such a Vocation, would we not have 
the Charity even of an ordinary Christian ! But 
this would be an outrage all the more afflicting to 
the Heart of Jesus, because of the glorious designs 
He has over us. — 6. All our life is to be consecrated 
to works of Charity, proving to the poor that we 
love theni ; and shall we not love our companions 
who are associated with us for the performance of 
these works? We are obliged to exercise Charity 
abroad, shall we not practise it at home ! Besides, 
how could we otherwise hope for the blessing of 
God ! Devoid of the life-giving sap that renders 
our works of mercy fruitful, we would be but as 
sounding brass and tinkling cymbal ; we might, 
indeed, make a noise in the world, but we would 
not produce the fruits of the Gospel. 

Ah ! let us enter into ourselves, and let us be 
convinced that fraternal Charity is of the highest 
importance in our Community ; let us be disposed 
to make every sacrifice in order to establish and 



176 EIGHTH DAY. 

preserve it. Moreover, is not this the charm of a 
Community life ? 

Second Point. Characteristics of Fraternal Char- 
ity, — 1. It should be sincere and efficacious ; that is, 
we must have a true love for our companions : wish 
for them all the good they desire, and procure it for 
them as far as depends upon us. Let us not resem- 
ble those void of affection, who, provided nothing 
is wanting to themselves, are little concerned for 
others. Let it be our delight to serve our Sisters ; 
let us eagerly embrace the occasion of giving them 
pleasure ; and, far from being jealous of their suc- 
cess and of the esteem in which they are held, let 
us rejoice therein. 

2. Our Charity should be cordial. In a Com- 
munity, the members should have but one heart and 
one soul, as was the case among the Christians of the 
primitive Church : we must, then, weep with those 
who weep, and rejoice with those who rejoice. In 
this mutual communication of sentiments, consists 
that cordiality which renders the Community life so 
sweet, so delightful, that, according to St. Vincent, 
it is a paradise on earth. 

3. Our Charity should be generous ; that is, we 
should be ready to sacrifice our ease, our convenience, 
our personal views, for the sake of others. Hence 
arises mutual support. Oh ! how necessary is this 
mutual support for persons living together ! For, 
each one has her defects, and imperfections ; inclina- 
tions and dispositions differ; judgments and manner 



FIRST MEDITATION. 177 

of viewing things are far from being the same ; 
tastes vary^ and wills conflict. Hence, in the midst 
of these divers and contrary elements, union of hearts 
becomes an impossibility, without mutual support ; 
without a reciprocal pardon of weaknesses, and a 
loving and patient endurance of whatever is dis- 
agreeable to us, — to what is opposed to our taste, to 
our humor. This is the reason why St. Vincent 
bids us repeat daily the words of the great Apostle : 
^^ Bear ye one another's burdens, and thus you will 
fulfil the law of Jesus Christ.'^ Let us examine our 
disposition in regard to this mutual forbearance. 

4. Our Charity should be universal. If, accord- 
ing to the Gospel precept, we cannot exclude anyone 
from our Charity, even our enemies, how could we 
entertain sentiments of aversion, resentment, or 
antipathy against our companions? 

5. Our Charity should be supernatural. An aflFec- 
tion based only upon mutual sympathy would not 
be meritorious for heaven ; and, should this affection 
be transformed into particular friendship, it would 
not fail to produce in us disastrous consequences, 
considered in a threefold point of view: the love of 
God, fraternal union, and the angelic virtue. We 
must, then, entertain for our companions a love 
which has God for its principle and object ; and so 
regulate our mutual intercourse as to edify one 
another by our words and actions. 

Let us consider if we are in possession of these 
different characteristics; if we find that any are 
12 



178 EIGHTH DAY. 

wanting, let us make generous efforts to acquire 
thero. 

Third Point. Means of preserving Fraternal 
Charity. — We must entertain a high esteem for this 
virtue which Jesus Christ has recommended to us in 
so forcible a manner ; and often recall the admirable 
examples He has given us of it during His whole 
life, and, above all, at His death. These examples 
should be ever before our eyes, and serve as rules 
in our intercourse with our neighbor; since, before 
quitting His Apostles, our Saviour said : " My little 
children, I give you my commandment, that you 
love one another, as I have loved you.^^ This was 
the last will, the testament of this divine Saviour, 
by which He bequeathed to us the precious heritage 
of Charity ! Let us preserve it as the richest of all 
treasures. — 2. We should avoid interfering with the 
conduct of our companions or with their offices. 
Let each one apply herself to fulfil her duty with 
all possible perfection, and peace will dwell among 
us. — 3. To combat aversions with courage, and not 
suffer ourselves to be overcome by our bad nature ; 
but vigorously resist it, and manifest the greatest 
kindness and cordiality towards those against whom 
we have any ill-feeling ; — never shunning their 
society, which would increase the evil instead of 
removing it. — 4. To be on our guard against slan- 
ders, even in the smallest points, as well as against 
those false reports which cause disunion; bearing 
in mind these words of the Apostle, St. James : 



SECOND MEDITATION. 179 

"He who sins not by the tongue, is a perfect man." — 
5. To avoid all contention ; and if any opposition 
arises, to practise condescension, acquiescing as far 
as possible, in regard to the opinion and will of 
others. — 6. To ask pardon, when we have given 
pain to our companions. '' My Daughters, says St. 
Vincent, here is a powerful means to maintain and 
preserve union and cordiality among you : When 
you perceive that you have caused displeasure to 
another, ask pardon immediately, if possible; but, 
at latest, before retiring ; for, mark well, if you go 
to rest in your ill-humor or your anger, you will be 
guilty of a great fault. ... As long as this practice is 
in vigor among you, peace will remain undisturbed.'' 
These are the means which will contribute to 
preserve and augment peace among us. O divine 
Saviour, who hast taught us true Charity, grant us 
the grace to form but one heart and one soul, even 
to our last sigh ; that we may merit to be consum- 
mated in Charity during all eternity. 

Second Meditation. 

On the Happiness of Heaven. 

First Point. Let us represent to ourselves a good 
Sister of Charity, at the moment she enters Heaven. — 
What a happy exchange for her I She sees herself 
enveloped in light, and transported into a place of 
delights. The veil which concealed the Divinity 



ISO EIGHTH lAT. 

from her, is removed ; the Angelsj in the twinkling 
of an eye, have carried her soul into the eternal 
palace^ and presented her before the throne of God. 
Jesos Christ ftdl of kindness and bounty, invites 
her to adorn herself with the crown of glc»y which 
her services to the poor have merited ; to take her 
seat upon the brilliant throne ^^pared for her ; and 
to enjoy the happin^s reserved for all those who 
have walked fiiithAiily in His footsteps. Come, says 
He to her, hasten^ my beloved ; fear not, for yon 
have served me with fidelity, and have had no other 
desire than to please me. Come, fer winter, that is 
to say, the time of tronble, is past ; the rains, that is 
the season of sorrow, grief, suffering, and tears, are 
dried up ; the time of joy and happiness has come ; 
spring has arrived, and the earth is coYi»ed with 
flowers. 

What a sweet surprise for this good Sister of 
Charity I Behold her now at the summit of happiness; 
she has heard the voice of her God, of her divine 
Spouse, whom she has so loved on eardi, and who is 
now to inebriate her with His delights. She beholds 
the splendor of the Holy City; she hears the cantides 
of joy and the ravishing harmonies, by which the 
blessed manifest thdr happine^. In tran^c»ts 
of love, she contemplates, with rapture, the in- 
numerable choirs of the Saints. She sees all her 
good companions who have preceded h^ and who 
invite her to come and take a place amongst them ; 
she sees St. Vincent who advances, to acknowledge 



SECOND MEDITATION. 181 

her for his Daughter; she sees the Immaculate 
Mary, the Queen of Heaven, seated at the right 
hand of her Son ; in fine, she sees God, Himself, as 
an ocean of glory and light. Behold her, then, de- 
livered from all the miseries of this world. She has 
found peace, joy, happiness, and security; she is now 
in the possession of all her desires. 

Contemplating this spectacle, we are lost in admi- 
ration, and each one of us exclaims : By what 
means can I secure this triumphant admission 
into the heavenly Jerusalem ? From the height of 
Heaven, this holy Daughter of Charity replies : After 
my example, love God with all your heart, serve the 
poor with ardor and generosity; be animated with 
the spirit of your Vocation, and you will enter 
gloriously into the eternal tabernacles. 

Second Point. Let us consider the Happiness re- 
served for us in Heaven, — Heaven is the house of 
God, the place where He displays His magnificence, 
where He shines in all the splendor of His glory; 
where, if we may so speak. He exhausts the effects of 
His liberality in favor of His friends. How shall 
we be able to form an idea of this abode so full of 
charms? Oh! beauty ever ancient and ever new! 
Oh ! delights of Heaven ! St. Paul declares: that the 
eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, nor the heart of 
man conceived the groat things that God has prepared 
for those who love Him. As far as the heavens are 
above the earth, so far do the delights of Heaven 
exceed those we enjoy here below. For the happi- 



182 EIGHTH DAY. 

ness of Heaven consists in the possession of God. 
Yes, we shall see God, we shall incessantly contem- 
plate Him, and this sight will penetrate us most inti- 
mately with love for this inestimable Good, whom it 
will be our felicity to possess eternally. Our life 
will be only joy, love, praise, and thanksgiving. 
The Holy Spirit invites us to partake of the joys of 
the celestial Jerusalem : '^ Rejoice with her, He says, 
O all you that love her; rejoice for joy with her, 
that you may be filled with her consolations, and 
flow with deliohts from the abundance of her s^lorv.'^ 
The holy Prophet King speaks to us in terms no less 
admirable : '' Who can comprehend how great is 
the multitude of Thy sweetness, O Lord, which Thou 
hast hidden for them that fear Thee! Thou shalt 
protect them in Thy tabernacle from the contradiction 
of tongues; blessed are they that dwell in Thy 
house, they shall praise Thee for ever and ever; 
Thou wilt surround them with glory. Thou wilt 
make them abound with joy, Thou wilt satiate all 
their desires, Thou wilt inebriate them with a torrent 
of delights. Blessed is the people whose Lord is 
their God!'' 

But all that holy writers tell us, is far below 
the reality. The prophet Isaias, who speaks of it 
in such magnificent terms, fears not to say : Thou 
only, O Lord, knowest the riches Thou hast in 
reserve for those that love Thee. The beloved 
disciple had contemplated Jesus Christ upon Thabor; 
and yet, when he wishes to speak of Heaven, he can 



SECOND MEDITATION. 183 

only say : " Dearly beloved, it hath not yet appeared 
what we shall be. We know that we shall be like 
to God, and we shall see Him as He is/^ The 
Apostle, St. Paul, had been ravished to the third 
Heaven ; but feeling that he could say nothing 
approaching the reality, contents himself, in his 
Epistle to the Ephesians, by praying the Lord to 
enlighten them, that they might comprehend the 
riches and glory which He communicates to His 
Saints. Let us also beg Him to shed His light in 
our souls, to make us comprehend the object of our 
hopes, that we may no longer be cold and languish- 
ing in our desire for Heaven ; but, being convinced 
of the nothingness and vanity of everything upon 
earth, we may, henceforth, sigh only for our 
heavenly country. 

Third Point. What should we do to attain 
Heaven? — Since we cannot find true happiness but 
in the possession of God, we must make every 
exertion to attain it. The first thing we have to 
do, is to excite in our hearts great desires of Heaven ; 
for we shall attain it only inasmuch as we ardently 
desire it, for the kingdom of Heaven suffers violence. 
We must sigh continually for this heavenly country. 
— We must, secondly, labor according to the spirit 
of our Vocation, in order to merit so great a happi- 
ness. Let us, then, strive to perform all our actions 
well, with the purest and most elevated intentions. 
Let us not shrink from labor, for we have to deal 
with a Master who recompenses generously. The 



184 EIGHTH DAY. 

more abundantly we shall have sown, the more 
blessings and glory we shall reap. If the elect 
could experience any sadness in Heaven, it would 
be for not having served God with greater gener- 
osity. — We must, thirdly, suffer with patience, with 
courage, even with joy, all the pains, trials, and con- 
tradictions, which may befall us. We shall have 
much to suflPer before we reach the term of our exile ; 
but we should not lose sight that sufferings are the 
way that conducts to Heaven ; for, says the Apostle, 
St. Paul, it is only by many tribulations that we 
shall enter the kingdom of Heaven. All the Saints 
had to suffer ; the life of Jesus Christ was a constant 
cross and martyrdom. — We should, fourthly, wage 
continual war against the enemies of our salvation ; 
for no one will be crowned, says the Apostle, who 
will not have fought valiantly and gained the victory. 
The enemies whom we have to combat, are the devil, 
the world, and our passions which continually incite 
us to evil, and against which we should be ever on 
our guard. Now, in these struggles, we need only 
courage and good will ; with these dispositions, the 
grace of God will not be wanting ; it will strengthen 
us and lead us to victory. O Jesus, grant us grace, 
through the intercession of Thy Immaculate Mother, 
who is also ours, to support us in the way that con- 
ducts to Heaven. 



consideration. 185 

Consideration. 
On Particular Examens, 

First Point. Importance of the Particular Ex- 
amen, — There is this difference between the general 
Examen and the particular one: that the former 
includes all the sins we have committed during the 
day, or w^ithin the space of time decreed upon ; 
w^hereas^ the particular Examen is upon a special 
subject; for example, a certain vice, a virtue, an 
exercise, and, particularly, the predominant defect 
which is our weak point in which we are most 
exposed to danger. This exercise is of the highest 
importance, 1. Because, it is a measure of prudence 
to take the greatest precaution where our salvation 
is most endangered ; now, every one has in his soul 
a weak point which the demon makes an object of 
attack ; imitating in this, the general of an army, 
who, seeking to take a city, studies the weakest 
parts, directing thereto all his efforts. — 2. Because, 
when we give our attention to all our miseries at 
the same time, we accomplish less, than if all 
its energy were concentrated upon one special sub- 
ject. — 3. Because, when the principal fault is over- 
come, we shall easily destroy all the others ; — as an 
army is speedily routed, when the general is slain. 

Let us here examine our conscience : Have we 
hitherto attached sufficient importance to the par- 
ticular Examen ? Have we employed the requisite 



186 EIGHTH BAY. 

attention to seek out our least faults on the subject 
that forms the matter of our Examen. Have we 
not sometimes been negligent, because we did not 
duly appreciate its importance ? In consequence of 
this negligence, have we not failed to correct our 
defects, and. to advance in virtue? How can we 
remain in this state of indifference? If we do not 
make any serious effort to correct our predominant 
fault, or to acquire the virtue of which we are most 
in need, would we not, consequently, be in a state 
of tepidity? Hence, all masters of the spiritual life, 
recommend the particular Examen as one of the 
most powerful means of sanctification ; therefore, 
St. Vincent requires that we make it twice a day. 
Second Point. Manner of making the Particular 
Examen, — 1. It is necessary to determine the sub- 
lect; that is, to have a special practice adapted to 
the needs of the soul. Before choosing this practice, 
we should attentively examine our dispositions in 
the presence of God ; if we find that we are subject 
to a predominant fault which is the cause of many 
other sins, and is a great obstacle to our sanctification, 
we must resolve, at once, seriously to attack it. If 
we perceive that the principal need of the soul is to 
acquire or strengthen a certain virtue, we must direct 
all our efforts to this point. But, to avoid all illu- 
sion and to be more sure that, in so important a 
matter, we act by the spirit of God, we should impart 
our thoughts to our Director in our spiritual com- 
munication, and receive from him our practice. 



CONSIDERATION. 1 87 

2. The subject once decided, we must proceed to 
the practice of it, considering the necessity of being 
faithful thereto. We may say to ourselves : This is 
my predominant fault, the great enemy of my soul ; 
if I do not conquer it, I shall be exposed to the 
danger of being lost. 

3. We must, at each particular Examen, see if 
we have been exact to our practice. If we have 
been faithful, let us give thanks to God ; if we have 
been guilty of any fault, let us ask pardon and 
resolve to do better in future. But, above all, let 
us strive to conceive a true regret for the faults 
committed against our practice, as well as for the 
negligence to which we may have yielded in regard 
to it. It will be well to impose upon ourselves some 
penancewhich,asfar as possible, should be medicinal; 
for example : some acts of charity for having failed 
in charity ; acts of mortification for having yielded 
to immortification ; some humilations for having 
failed in humility. 

4. Besides our particular Examen on this subject, 
we must refer every thing to this practice ; for 
example : in meditation, take the resolution to be 
faithful to it, and resolve to perform a certain num- 
ber of acts in connection with it, at certain fixed 
times : during the day, to be very vigilant in regard 
to this practice; every day, to offer some special 
prayer to obtain the grace of being faithful to it ; 
in fine, to act in such a manner, as to prove that we 



188 EIGHTH DAY. 

are determined to attain the end proposed by our 
practice. 

5. It ^Yili also be useful to devote some time at 
the end of each week, and, above all, in the monthly 
Eetreat, to consider how we have observed our prac- 
tice during the days past ; what progress we have 
made in it, what obstacles we have encountered, 
and in what manner we have surmounted them. 

Third Poixt. 3Ieans of mahng the Particular 
Exaraen well. — 1. It must be made with recollection 
and in the spirit of faith. I would wish to make 
my particular Examen well, you may say, but I 
cannot recollect myself; the time allotted for this 
exercise passes without my perceiving it, and con- 
sequently, I do not profit by it. Whence is it, that 
you cannot recollect yourself? Is it not because 
you live in habitual dissipation? Therefore, you 
should strive to establish yourself in recollection. 
Moreover, as soon as the bell announces the time 
for the particular Examen, you should leave every- 
thing to obey the call of God, saying to yourself: 
What am I going to do, and how should I do it? 
On arriving at the place destined for this exercise, 
place yourself in the presence of Jesus Christ, and 
call to mind that our divine Saviour will one day 
demand of you an account of your conduct. 

2. You must avoid discouragement into which 
certain persons are liable to fall, on account of the 
faults they still commit. They say : Since I have 
applied myself to overcome this defect, it seems to 



CONSIDERATION . 189 

me that I commit many more faults than before. 
This should not alarm you. It is possible that you 
may be more strongly tempted ; but this is a proof 
that the demon, fearing to be vanquished by the 
means you adopt to resist him, is enraged against 
you ; but, is not this a good sign ? Is it true, 
however, that you do commit more faults than 
formerly? You now discover a greater number, 
because you examine yourself; but hitherto you 
committed more, without perceiving them. 

3. We must persevere in combating our pre- 
dominant fault, fully confident that, in time, we 
shall destroy it. A Sister may say : Alas ! I have 
been laboring six months for the acquisition of this 
virtue. Ah ! even if you have labored for this end 
six years, thirty years, you must not desist, but say 
to yourself: Whatever it may cost me, I will, with 
the help of God, obtain it ; and should I have to 
struggle all my life, I will vigorously resist ; con- 
vinced, that in the end, I shall be victorious. This 
determination is always useful. Sometimes, it is 
true, we may not acquire the special virtue we 
propose to ourselves, but God bestows upon us 
another more useful to us ; but every effort we 
make to attain the desired virtue, procures for us a 
new degree of glory in heaven. Sometimes we 
resemble those seamen who row against \7ind and 
tide ; they do not advance, it is true, but it is a 
great deal in their favor that they are not pushed 
back. Persevere, then, in order not to fall back ; 



190 EIGHTH DAY. 

and in the end, God will bless your efforts ; and, 
later, you will make more progress in a few days, 
than you could have hoped for in ten years. 

Third Meditation. 

On the Blessed Virgin, 

FiEST PoHSiT. We should love Mary because she 
is our Mother, — How sweet, consoling, and advan- 
tageous is devotion to Mary ! At the sole name of 
Mary, the heart dilates, hope is reanimated, joy fills 
our soul, because it recalls Her who is justly styled 
our Advocate, our Refuge, the Cause of our joy, our 
Life, our Sweetness, and our Hope. Wo to the 
soul that loves not Mary ! On the contrary, happy 
is she who feels within her heart a tender and gen- 
erous love for this good and compassionate Mother. 
Yes, Mary is our Mother ; for in bringing into the 
world her divine Son, Jesus, our Saviour, she has 
given us the life of grace, — a life incomparably 
more precious than the life of the body. — Mary is 
also our Mother, because on Calvary, she brought 
us forth to the life of grace, in offering her divine 
Son as a Victim of propitiation for the salvation of 
the world; and, in immolating herself through love 
for us, she became our Co-Redemptress. Oh! how 
much did this title cost her ! — In fine, Mary is also 
our Mother, because Jesus Christ, from the height 
of His Cross, on the point of expiring, said to His 



THIED MEDITATION. 191 

beloved disciple, and in his person, to all Christians : 
Behold thy Mother. These are sacred words, they 
could not fail to effect what they signify. There- 
fore, from this moment, Mary, by a new title, became 
our Mother, and we, her children. Now, should 
not a child love his mother ? He who is destitute 
of this love is an unnatural son. What, then, 
should be our love for Mary, this Mother so good, 
so loving, so tender, and, at the same time, so pow- 
erful, so exalted in dignity ! 

Mary has for us all the tenderness of a mother 
for her child. But this is not saying enough : her 
tenderness surpasses all the affection and devoted- 
ness of the best of mothers. When our divine 
Saviour gave Mary to us for a Mother, He be- 
queathed to us all the love she had for Him. In 
saying to her : Woman, behold thy son. He seemed 
to say: I know, O my Mother, how much thou 
dost cherish me; I know that nothing can equal 
the love thou bearest me ; but, henceforth, bestow 
all thy tenderness on my disciples ; they are thy 
children, as they are mine; thou wilt then love 
them, as thou hast loved me. From that moment, 
Mary has redoubled her affection for us ; she loves 
us with the same love with which she loved her 
divine Son. But, since Mary is so good and com- 
passionate towards us, is it not just that we should 
entertain sentiments of filial piety towards her? 
And, as no mother has so much tenderness for her 
children as Mary, is it not also just, that our love 



192 EIGHTH DAY. 

for her should surpass that of the most devoted 
children for the most tender of mothers ? 

Secoxd Point. We should love Mary because 
of the Graces she continually obtains for us. — God 
was not satisfied with giving ns^ through Mary, the 
source of salvation^ in ^electing her to be the Mother 
of our Saviour ; He also appointed her to make the 
application of the merits of this divine Redeemer 
to us; for this reason^ the Fathers of the Church 
call Mary the Treasury of grace ; this made St. 
Bernard affirm^ that it is the will of God we should 
receive all graces from the hands of Mary. Now, 
if such is the case, from whom did you receive the 
grace of your Vocation, if not from Mary? Yes, 
it was Mary who obtained it for you ; you were but 
a child ; and already, casting a look of complacency 
upon you, she commenced to prepare you for the 
accomplishment of the designs of God over you. 
Later, she inspired you with the thought of con- 
secrating yourself to the service of her Son, in the 
person of the poor ; she it was, who aided you to 
surmount the obstacles which the demon, the world, 
and the flesh, opposed to your generous design ; 
taking you by the hand, she withdrew you from 
the world and conducted you into your beloved 
Community. Since the moment you entered it, 
how many graces has she not obtained for you ! 
How many times has she not spoken to your heart 
by her inspirations I from how many dangers has 



THIRD MEDITATION. 193 

she not preserved you ! Did ever a mother bestow 
so much care upon a beloved child ? 

But the goodness and charity of Mary in your 
regard, are not yet exhausted ; what she has here- 
tofore done for you, she will continue to do until 
your death. You are a Sister of Charity; conse- 
quently you should be all burning with the love of 
God. To whom will you have recourse in order to 
enkindle in your heart this beautiful flame of 
charity? Behold, Mary who presents herself to you, 
saying : I am the Mother of Fair Love and of holy 
hope; come to me, I will impart to you this sacred 
fire with which I am wholly filled. Approach her 
then, frequently, to inflame your heart with the sacred 
fire of charity ; the greater your devotion to this 
powerful Mediatrix, the more will the love of God 
increase within your soul. Mary will obtain for you 
the grace to acquire the spirit of your Vocation, and 
of persevering therein till your death, which she will 
render sweet and consoling ; she will defend you 
from all the fears which the powers of hell will 
excite in your soul; thus, you will die in peace in 
the arms of Mary, and your death will be followed 
by an eternity of glory and happiness. 

Third Point. What should you do to prove your 
love for Maryf You should, first, celebrate her 
feasts with true devotion. You should be careful to 
prepare for them, and enter into the spirit of the 
Church in honoring the mystery commemorated in 
these solemnities. There is nothing sweeter, more 
13 



194 EIGHTH DAY. 

consoling, more instructive and edifying, than the 
feasts of Mary. If you endeavor to celebrate them 
in a proper manner, they will be for you an abun- 
dant source of graces and consolations. 

In the second place, you should acquit yourself 
well of the exercises of piety prescribed by your 
Rule in honor of Mary. Have recourse to her with 
a holy eagerness, and ask for all graces you need. 
Invoke her in your trials, in your temptations, in all 
your sufferings ; pray to her with humble confidence, 
and you will experience the truth of these words of 
St. Augustine and of St. Bernard : That it has never 
been known that anyone had recourse to her in vain. 

You should, in the third place, endeavor to imitate 
her virtues. Could Mary recognize you for her 
child, if you do not take her for your model ? Often 
reflect upon her humility, her simplicity, charity, and 
modesty ; upon her obedience and poverty ; upon 
her great love for the beautiful virtue of purity; 
upon her compassion for the afflicted, upon her tender 
love for God. Cast your eyes frequently upon this 
beautiful model, and strive to imitate it. If Mary 
sees that you are animated with a holy emulation to 
copy her virtues, she will regard you with compla- 
cency, and procure for you all the graces you ask of 
her. 

Fourthly, you should endeavor to inspire others 
with sincere devotion towards Mary. A fervent 
Sister of Charity desires to see her loved by every 
one ; she delights to speak of her to her companions ; 



THIRD MEDITATION. 195 

she exhorts sinners to have recourse to her powerful 
intercession ; she seeks to inspire little children with 
this devotion ; she teaches them that they have a 
Mother in heaven, to whom they should pray with 
confidence and love. In fine, you should, above all, 
love her yourself, not in an indifferent manner, but 
with all your heart. You should be devotedly 
attached to her; her name should be ever upon 
your lips; for devotion to Mary ought to be the 
characteristic devotion of a Sister of Charity. 

Note. — It would be well, according to the Custom of the 
Mother-House, to make this little act of consecration, kneeling, 
immediately before the conclusion of the Meditation. 

O Mary, the purest of Virgins, the most beauti- 
ful and the most perfect of God's creatures ! O the 
most tender, the best of Mothers, how can I live 
without loving thee ! It seems to me that I love 
thee, my Mother, and that, after God, thou art the 
chief object of my love. But, I feel that I do not 
love thee as much as thou deservest, as much as I 
desire to love thee; therefore, I prostrate myself 
now at the foot of thy throne, to consecrate myself 
entirely to thee, and to declare to thee, that I wish 
to be thine hereafter. I offer thee my poor heart, 
that it may please thee to fill it with love for thee. 
Vouchsafe to receive it, O holy Virgin, and remove 
from it all that is displeasing to thee ; deign to in- 
spire it with a love for all thou didst love upon 



196 EIGHTH BAY. 

earth ; that, loving only what thou didst love, I 
may in all things be conformable to thee and to 
thy divine Son ; and deserve, one day, to contem- 
plate thee, with Him, in heaven. Amen. 



MEDITATION. 197 



NINTH DAY. 



Meditation. 
On Perseverance, 

First Point. Motives of Perseverance, — Our 
Lord promises paradise to those only who persevere 
in the practice of virtue until death : "' He who 
shall persevere to the end, shall be saved ^^ ; and St. 
Paul adds : " He only shall be crowned who shall 
have lawfully fought.^' During these days of 
Retreat, God shed His graces upon you with a 
bountiful profusion. Were you to abuse these 
graces; were you to remain in the same state of 
tepidity and imperfection as heretofore, what 
account would you not have to render, one day, to 
your Sovereign Judge? You have taken good 
resolutions, but that is not enough ; in order to 
persevere, you must make constant and generous 
efforts, that you may gain the victory over the 
enemies of your salvation ; namely, the demon and 
yourself. 

The demon will do all in his power to make you 
relapse into your former infidelities ; he will put a 
thousand obstacles in your way to make you fall ; 
he will multiply temptations to w^eary your patience, 
and lead you to discouragement. With the help of 
God you can resist him ; but, if you are so weak as 



198 NINTH DAY. 

to listen to his suggestions, your condition will be 
worse than before. You must, then, be on your 
guard, and adopt certain measures, that the devil 
may not rob you of the fruits of your Retreat. 

We should mistrust ourselves, and guard against 
our weakness and our natural inconstancy. Expe- 
rience of the past should serve as a lesson for the 
future. In efiPect, what earnest resolutions have we 
not taken in preceding Retreats ! We were all on 
fire; it appeared that nothing could arrest us in our 
course, — the greatest sacrifices seemed easy ; but alas ! 
all this ardor was cooled by the most trifling obsta- 
cles. This we may have remarked during the days 
just past. 

We should, then, guard against all these dangers ; 
and be convinced that it is time to give ourselves to 
God; to put an end to these alternations of fervor 
and of negligence, which deter us from making any 
progress in perfection, and which will eventually, 
drag us into a state of indifference for the things of 
our salvation. Alas ! O Lord, I acknowledge that 
hitherto I have been unfaithful to the good inspira- 
tions with which Thou hast favored me, — that I have 
abused Thy graces. Ah ! suffer me not to abuse 
those granted me during this Retreat. Deign, O my 
God, to assist me by Thy grace ; fortify me against 
the demon and against my own weakness; that 
nothing may entice me from the path in which I 
have taken the resolution to walk. 



MEDITATION. 199 

Second Point. First means of Perseverance: 
To sincerely love our Vocation, — A Daugliter of St. 
Vincent who does not love her Vocation^ does 
everything with indifference and negligence; she 
does not taste the sweets and consolations attached 
to it ; hence, she gradually falls away. On the 
contrary, a Sister of Charity who loves her Voca- 
tion, delights in fulfilling the duties thereof; she 
does all with relish, and God daily sheds His 
choicest benedictions upon her. We must, then, 
love and esteem our Vocation, as well as all that 
relates to it. We should regard it as our Ark of 
salvation ; as a vessel in which we have nothing to 
fear, and by the aid of which we shall escape the 
perils of this life, and reach the desired port of 
celestial beatitude. We should repulse wnth horror 
all the temptations that might arise on this point, 
begging of God the strength to overcome them ; 
revealing them to our Superiors^ that they may 
indicate the means to enable us to gain the victory 
over them. 

But, it is not enough to love our Vocation ; 
we must love our Works and our Rules. How 
beautiful are these Works ! They are the same 
as those which Jesus Christ exercised while upon 
earth. What ! poor Sisters of Charity to do what 
Jesus Christ has done: to comfort the afflicted, to 
instruct the poor ! Ah ! what an honor, what a 
happiness for us ! Ah ! Lord, what have we done 
to merit so great a favor ? We should, then, love 



200 KINTH DAY. 

the duties of our holy Vocation, and perform them 
with great zeal. We should also, love the Rules 
which God has given us, because they are the in- 
fallible means to secure all the advantages attached 
to our Vocation. These are the wings whereby we 
may elevate ourselves to the highest perfection ; we 
shall find in them efficacious remedies for all our 
evils. Oh ! may it please God to grant us the grace 
to love them, and always observe them with the 
utmost fidelity ! 

O my God, grant that the affection and esteem we 
ought to have for our holy Vocation may ever in- 
crease; that we may sanctify ourselves, and reap all 
the precious advantages attached to our holy calling. 

Third Point. Second means of Perseverance: 
To labor to perfect ourselves in the spirit of our Voca- 
tion, — We should labor for this all our life, even to 
our last sigh ; and labor courageously and without 
relaxation, as if we were but commencing. We 
should not be deterred by difficulties, for God will 
be with us to help us in overcoming them. But, 
what is the spirit of our Vocation ? It is the very 
spirit of Jesus Christ, Himself: we must speak, 
think, and act as He did. — It is a spirit of humility 
which should make us place ourselves beneath every 
one, discarding all vain-glory, ostentation, all self- 
seeking. — It is a spirit of simplicity which prompts 
us to act purely and simply for God, avoiding all 
kind of duplicity and affectation. — It is a spirit of 
charity which makes us love one another, bear with 



MEDITATION. 201 

one another, as Sisters whom Jesus Christ lias united 
by the bonds of His love. — It is a s|)irit of charity 
which makes us love God in the hi(rhcst degree, 
seeking only what relates to ITis gh)ry and interest. — 
It is a spirit of poverty which detaches us from the 
goods of this world, that God may be our sole 
treasure. — It is a sf)irit of obedience which leads us 
to destroy our own will entirely ; and to will, to de- 
sire, only the good pleasure of God manifested to 
us by the orders of our Superiors. — It is a s|)irit of 
chastity which, after having renounced all terrestrial 
and carnal affections, makes us seek only spiritual 
joys, and begin to live a life entirely heavenly. — It 
is a s[)irit of compassion which makes us as sensitive 
to the trials and sorrows of the poor, as if they were 
our own, leading us to do all in our power to soothe 
them. — It is a spirit of patience, which gives us 
strength to practise mutual forbearance; — a spirit 
of mildness which enables us to gain hearts to 
God; — a spirit of faith, a spirit of recollection, 
leading us to walk in the holy presence of God, — 
acting always for God and in union with Hi in. 

Such is the spirit of the Sisters of Charity. Oh ! 
let us beg of God to give it to us, to strengthen and 
perfect us in it. () divine Saviour, who hast formed 
our Company, that it may continue the works of 
mercy which Thou didst exercise during Thy mortal 
life ; afid who hast called us, unworthy as we are, to 
live according to Thy spirit, grant us the grace to 



202 KTSTH DAY. 

perfect ourselves in the practice of the virtues Thou 
hast recommended to us; that we may have part in 

that ^7-'-" e:er::::v which Thou hast promised to 
thosc _ T — vrie to the end. 



CLOSE OF THE RETREAT. 203 



CLOSE OF THE RETREAT. 



After Mass and Thanksgiving, the Act of Consecration is 
read, with the Prayers following. 



ACT OF CONSECRATION 

TO THE SACRED HEAKT OF JESUS. 

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, august throne of divine 
mercy, ineffable pledge of our confidence and love, 
behold us prostrate before Thee to render Thee 
thanks for the inestimable benefit of the Retreat ! 
From Thee descends every good gift, and from 
Thy infinite goodness we have received the precious 
talent of our holy Vocation. But we comprehend 
now, better than ever, that only by Thy aid shall 
we be able to appreciate its full value. We have 
experienced our weakness and misery, and we know 
that without Thee we can do nothing ; or rather, 
that of ourselves, we would only displease Thee, 
offend Thee, and abuse Thy graces. To Thee we 
now address our prayers and supplications ; in Thy 
bosom, as in a sacred sanctuary, we deposit the 
resolutions with which Thou hast inspired us. Oh ! 
render them fruitful by Thy benedictions, that they 
may be, hereafter, the invariable rule of our conduct 
in the accomplishment of our duties ! . Thou hast 
purified our souls by the sanctifying waters of Thy 



204 CLOSE OF THE KETBEAT. 

mercy. Preserv^e, in all its whiteness^ the robe of 
innocence with which Thou hast clothed them ; per- 
mit us not to sully it again by the stains of sin. 
Reanimate within us our first fervor, the love of 
our Holy Rules^ and the virtues of simplicity, 
humility, and charity. Make the sweet ties which 
unite us to Thee still more dear, — those ties which 
we formed at the foot of Thy Altar ; may poverty 
be for us the richest of all treasures ; may chastity 
be the delight of our souls ; and obedience be our 
life ! Be Thou blessed forever, for having called us 
to be Thy servants, in becoming those of the sick- 
poor. By this we become Thy true Daughters, 
since Thou art Charity itself. But, O sweet and 
amiable Saviour ! grant that our hearts may burn 
with the same flames which consume Thine; that 
we may be filled with the same sentiments of com- 
passion and mercy which attached Thee to the Cross, 
which made Thee give Thy life for the love of us ; 
that we also may know how to sacrifice all the 
faculties of our soul and body, our repose, our 
health, even our life, for our lords and dear masters, 
the poor ! 

From Thy divine Heart these sentiments should 
flow into ours; draw us, then, to Thee, by the 
unction of Thy grace ; unite us to Thee by the 
attractions of Thy love ; grant that we may be one 
with Thee, as Thou art one with Thy heavenly Father ; 
that the spirit of prayer, the thought of Thy holy 
presence, and, above all, the Holy Communion, may 



TE DEUM. 205 

preserve this celestial union and nourish our fervor ; 
in a word, that we may no longer live, but that 
Thou mayest live in us ; that in all the circum- 
stances of our life, Thou mayest be our support; our 
succor in all our wants, our strength and our con- 
stancy in temptations ; our consolation in trials, our 
protection in dangers, the principle of our being, the 
object of our hopes, and the end of all our actions. 
Grant, O Lord, that we may be all Thine ; that we 
may love but Thee during time, and aspire after the 
happiness of possessing Thee in eternity. Amen. 



TE DEUM. 



Te Deum laudamus,* te Dominum confitemur. 

Te seternum Patrem * omnis terra veneratur. 

Tibi omnes Angeli,* tibi coeli et universse Po- 
testates : 

Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim * incessabili voce 
proclamant : 

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, * Dominus Deus 
Sabaoth : 

Pleni sunt coeli et terra * majestatis gloriae tuse. 

Te gloriosus * Apostolorum chorus. 

Te Prophetarum * laudabilis numerus. 

Te Martyrum candidatus * laudat exercitus. 

Te per orbem terrarum * sancta confitetur 
Ecclesia. 

Patrem * immensse majestatis : 



206 CLOSE OF THE EETREAT. 

Venerandum tuum verum,'^ et unicum Filium. 

Sanctum quoque ^ Paraclitum Spiritum. 

Tu Rex glorise,'^ Cbriste. 

Tu Patris "^ sempiternus es Filius. 

Tu, ad liberandum suscepturus hominem,* non 
horruisti Virginis uterum. 

Tu, devicto mortis aculeo,* aperuisti credentibus 
regna coelorum. 

Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes "^ in gloria Patris. 

Judex crederis "^ esse venturus. 

Te ergo qusesumus, famulis tuis subveni,"^ quos 
pretioso sanguine redemisti. 

Sterna fac cum Sanctis tuis "^ in gloria numerari. 

Salvum fac populum tuum^ Domine,"^ et benedic 
b^reditati tuse. 

Et rege eos, et extolle illos "^ usque in aeternura. 

Per singulos dies "^ benedicimus te; 

Et laudamus nomen tuum in sseculum,'^ et in 
speculum sseculi. 

Diguare, Domine, die isto * sine peccato nos 
custodire. 

Miserere nostri, Domine,* miserere nostri. 

Fiat misericordia tua, Domine, super nos * quem- 
admodum speravimus in te. 

In te, Domine, speravi,* non confundar in seternura. 

V . Benedicamus Patrem et Filium cum Sancto 
Spiritu. 

Jtr. Laudemus et superexaltemus eum in ssecula. 



CAKTlCLE OP' THE BLESSED YlRGlK. 207 

Oremus. 

Deus, cujus misericordise non est nuraerus, et boni- 
tatis infinitus est thesaurus; piissimse majestati tuae 
pro collatis donis gratias agimus, tuam semper 
cleraentiam exorantes, ut qui petentibus postulata 
concedis, eosdem uou deserens^ ad prsemia futura 
disponas; Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. 



CANTICLE OF THE BLESSED VIEGLST. 

Magnificat * anima mea Dominum. 

Et exultavit spiritus mens * in Deo salutari meo : 

Quia respexit humilitatem ancillse suae; * ecce 

enim ex hoc beatam me diceut omnes gen- 

erationes. 
Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est, * et sanctum 

nomen ejus. 
Et misericordia ejus a.progenie in progenies * 

timentibus eum. 
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo : * dispersit super- 
bos mente cordis sui. 
Deposuit potentes de sede, * et exaltavit humiles. 
Esurientes implevit bonis, * et divites dimisit 

inanes. 
Suscepit Israel puerum suum, * recordatus miseri- 

cordiae suae. 
Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, * Abraham et 

semini ejus in secula. 



208 CLOSE OF THE RETREAT. 

Gloria Patri, etc. 

Sicut erat, &c. 

i/'. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix ; 

R. Ut digni efficiarnur prom issioni bus Christi. 

OREMUS. 

Sub tuum prsesidium confugimus, sancta Dei 
genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in ne- 
cessitatibus nostris ; sed a periculis cunctis libera 
nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. 

Concede nos famulos tuos, qusesumus, Domine 
Deus, perpetua mentis et corporis sanitate gaudere ; 
et gloriosa beatse Marise semper Virginis inter- 
cessione, a prsesenti liberari tristitia et seterna per- 
frui Isetitia : Per Christum Dominum nostrum. 

Three times : O Mary, conceived without sin, 
pray for us who have recourse to thee ! 



SPIRITUAL READINGS 

For the Annual Retreat, 



FIRST DAY. 



First Reading for the Morning. 

Following of Christ, Book I. chapter xx. 

Second Reading. 

Benefits of Creation and Preservation, 

(From the Writings of Father Granada.) 

Creation is the first of the gifts of God, This 
truth being so well established, I shall only say, that 
such a favor of itself, obliges man to devote himself 
entirely to the service of his Creator, since he is 
unquestionably indebted to Him for all he has re- 
ceived from Him in his creation. It is certain, that 
by this first gift, man received his being; that is, his 
body, with all its senses, his soul with all its faculties; 
whence it follows, that he is obliged to employ these 
faculties in the service of his Creator, under the 
14 209 



210 FIEST DAY. 

penalty of the blackest ingratitude. If a man builds 
a house, who should have the use of it, but the 
builder ? If a man plants a vine, who should gather 
the fruits thereof, but the planter? And if a father 
has any children, whom are they obliged to serve, 
but the father who begot them? If it is so great an 
evil for a son to disobey his father, how grievous a 
crime is it, to rebel against God who is our Father 
by so many just claims, that no other father in com- 
parison with Him, deserves to be so called. There- 
fore, with much reason does God complain of this 
ingratitude by one of His Prophets, in these words 
(Malac. VI.) : ^^ If I am your Father, where is my 
honor; and if I am your Master, where is my fear? '^ 
a Perverse and adulterous nation ! He exclaims by 
another Prophet ; foolish and ignorant people ! is it 
thus you requite your Father from whom you have 
received so many favors ? Have I not formed and 
created you ? ^^ 

These words are addressed to those ungrateful 
creatures who never raise their eyes to contemplate 
heaven, nor turn them upon themselves to consider 
their origin. St. Augustine's sentiments were far 
diflferent; since, by the knowledge of himself, he 
arrived at the knowledge of his Creator. He speaks 
thus in one of his soliloquies (L. xxxl.) : '^ I returned 
to myself, I entered into my inmost being, saying : 
Who art thou? And I answered myself: I am a 
rational and mortal man. Thou hast made me, O 
my God, and not I, myself; by Thee I live, and by 



EEADINa FOR THE MORNING. 211 

Thee all things live and subsist. I thank Thee, O 
my Creator, because Thou hast made and fashioned 
me. I thank Thee, O my eternal Light, for having 
brought me to the knowledge of Thy greatness, and 
to that of my nothingness.^^ 

Creation is the first benefit of God and the 
foundation of all the rest; for all other benefits pre- 
suppose a being, and this is given us at our creation. 
By this, it is easy to judge of the magnitude of this 
benefit, as well as of the gratitude it merits. For, 
as God is most liberal in bestowing His graces, He 
is no less exact in requiring an acknowledgment of 
the same ; not for any advantage accruing to Himself 
thereby, but for that which redounds to us in the 
accomplishment of our duty. 

Thus we read in the Old Testament {Exod. xii.), 
that no sooner had God conferred any favor upon 
His people than He commanded them to preserve 
the remembrance thereof. When He withdrew 
these people, whom He tenderly loved, from the 
bondage of Egypt, He immediately ordered them 
to keep a solemn feast every year in memory of that 
happy day (Exod, xiii.). Having destroyed all 
the first-born of the Egyptians, He ordered, at the 
same time {Exod, xvi.), that all the first-born of 
His people should be offered unto Him. Shortly 
after their departure from Egypt, when He first 
rained down manna from heaven, — a food with 
which He sustained them for forty years in the 
desert, — He immediately ordered a certain quantity 



212 FIRST DAY. 

of it to be put into a vessel and kept in the sanctuary, 
as a memorial of so extraordinary a mercy. Now, 
if God was so exact in requiring His people to be 
ever mindful of these temporal favors, what does 
He not expect of us for this eternal benefit, — for 
the soul He has given us is immortal. 

Hence arose the custom among the ancient Patri- 
archs (Gen. XII., XIII., aud xxii.), of erecting altars 
whenever God favored them in any particular 
manner ; nay, the very names they gave their 
children were expressive of the benefits they had 
received, so that they might always be mindful of 
them ; hence, St. Augustine took occasion to say, 
that man ought to think of God as often as he 
breathes. In fact, if man lives, it is because of the 
gift of creation ; consequently, he should render 
continual thanks to God for this immortal being 
which he received from the divine bounty. 

If we are obliged in justice to serve our Creator, 
it is no less binding upon us to do so, in order to 
attain the happiness and entire perfection of our 
being. For the belter understanding of this, we 
must know that, generally speaking, creatures have 
not, in their beginning, all the perfection suitable to 
them ; they have many qualifications, it is true, but 
many are still wanting, and these they must receive 
from Him who commenced the work. So that the 
same cause which gave existence to the being, can 
alone conduct it to the end, and thus complete its 
perfection. For this reason, all effects have an 



BEADING FOR THE MORNING. 213 

inclination towards the causes that produced them. 
Plants seek the sun, and run as deep as they can 
into the earth which shot them forth. Fishes remain 
in the waters that engendered them ; the chicken is 
no sooner out of the shell, than it seeks the mother's 
wings, following her for protection. A lamb, in 
like manner, follows the ewe that brought it forth, 
and can distinguish it from a thousand others of the 
same color ; it never loses sight of her, seeming to 
say : Here I received whatever I have, and here I 
shall receive all that is yet wanting to me. 

This is what usually happens in the works of 
nature ; and if those of art had any sense and motion 
they would do the same. Should a painter draw a 
picture and leave out the eyes, what would this 
picture do, were it sensible of this defect ? Whither 
would it go ? Not, indeed, to the palaces of kings 
and princes, who, as such, could never supply the 
deficiency ; but to the master's house who drew the 
first strokes, that he might finish his work. Learn 
from this your lesson, O rational creature. 

You are not yet finished ; do not pride yourself 
on the advantages you already possess. True, you 
have received something, but a great deal is yet 
wanting to your perfection; you are scarce but a 
rough draught; all the lustre and beauty of the 
work are yet wanting. You will be more fully 
convinced of this, if you observe the propensity of 
nature itself, which, acknowledging, as it were, its 
imperfections, is continually craving for what is still 



214 FIPvST DAY. 

due to it. The Lord who formed yon, thought fit 
to starve you out, that your necessities might com})el 
you to apply to Hin:. and thus gain you to Himself, 
making you confess Him to be your Master. This 
is why God left you incomplete. Xot giving you 
at your creation all you required, was not an effect 
of parsimony, but of love : it was not to leave you 
destitute, but to make you humble; it was not to 
forsake you in your necessities, but to oblige you to 
have recourse to Him. Xow. since you are really 
poor and blind, why do you not go to the Father 
who created you, to the painter who commenced to 
sketch you, that he may give you what is still want- 
ing? David, doubtless, w^as in possession of this 
secret when he said: ^^Thy hands, O Lord, have 
made me and formed me: give me understanding and 
I will learn thy commandments'' [Ps. cxviri). 
As if he had said : All that is in me is the work of 
Thy hands, O Lord I but Thy work is not yet com- 
pleted. I am not quite finished, O Lord I because 
the eyes of my soul are not yet opened. I have 
not light enough to discover what is proper for me. 
To whom shall I have recourse to obtain what I 
need, if not to Him who has given me what I already 
possess ? Therefore, enlighten the eyes of this blind 
creature, that I may know Thee ; and thus shalt 
Thou complete in me what Thou hast begun. 

Since God must give perfection to our understand- 
ing, He rau-t also give it to the will, and to all the 
powers of the soul, that He who began the work 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 215 

may give it the finishing touch. For, it is this 
same Lord who liberally provides, without im- 
poverishing Himself, who gives increase without 
display, who enriches without ostentation, and who 
fully satisfies without the necessity of large pos- 
sessions. For this reason the Wise Man says : 
^^ One is rich having nothing, and another is poor 
having great riches.^^ (Prov. xiir.) This teaches 
us that the poor man who, like St. Francis, has 
God with him, is truly rich ; and that, without 
God, he is wretchedly poor, even should he pos- 
sess all the riches of earth. 

Man is under obligations to God not only for 
having created him, but also for preserving him ; 
for He who made thee, O man, still continues to 
preserve thee ; so that it would be as impossible for 
thee to subsist without God, as it was to have given 
thyself existence. This second obligation is not less 
than the first ; if you consider well, you will find it 
even greater ; for the former was laid upon you but 
once, whereas this is conferred upon you at every 
moment : for, continually preserving you after your 
creation, is similar to creating you anew. The one 
requires no less love, no less power than the other. 
Therefore, if your obligation to God for having 
created you, in an instant, is so great, what do you 
not owe Him for preserving you so many moments, 
so many hours, nay, so many years? You cannot 
take a step unless God gives you power to move. 
You cannot open or close your eyes without His 



216 FIRST DAY. 

assistance. If you do not believe that God gives 
motion to your members, you are no Christian ; 
but ifj believing that you receive from Him this 
favor, and yet, are so rash as to offend Him, I know 
not what name to give you ! 

If to all these benefits we add the whole world 
which, as a rich and plentiful table, God has pre- 
pared and spread for your special use, how infinitely 
will your obligation be increased ! Everything under 
heaven is absolutely for man, or for his service. And 
should any one object that flies are of no use to man, 
it may be answered, that, at least, they serve as food 
for birds which are created for man. Although man 
does not eat the grass of the fields, it nourishes the 
cattle necessary for his subsistence [Ps, viii.) Cast 
your eyes over the world, and you will see what 
rich lands, what large possessions you have ; how 
great is your inheritance ! All that moves on the 
earth, all that swims in the waters, all that shines 
in the heavens, is for you. All these things are 
the effects of God's liberality, — the works of His 
Providence, traces of His beauty, testimonies of 
His mercy, sparks of His charity, heralds of His 
greatness ! Consider these as so many preachers 
sent to you from God to furnish you with the 
means of knowing Him. Everything on earth or 
in heaven, says St. Augustine, perpetually exhorts 
me to love Thee, O Lord. All speak the same 
language, so that no one can be lawfully excused 
from complying with a just duty. 



BEADING FOR THE MORNING. 217 

Oh ! if you had ears to hear the voices of all 
creatures, you would readily understand how unani- 
mously they invite you to love God ! The sky says 
to you : I furnish you with light during the day, 
and at night my stars shine upon you that you may 
not walk in darkness. By my various influences, 
I produce what is necessary for your life. The air, 
on the other hand, says to you : It is I that give 
you breath, I refresh you, and temper the heat of 
your vital spirits that you may not be consumed 
thereby. The water says : It is for you that I pour 
out seasonable rains ; for you, my streams and 
fountains are ever flowing ; for your nourishment, 
I engender an infinite variety of fish. I water your 
lands and your gardens that they may bring forth 
fruits. I make a short passage through the seas, to 
furnish you with the occasion of adding the riches 
of other countries to those of your own. 

What will the earth tell you, — this common 
mother of all things, this universal workshop of 
nature? She may, with great reason, speak to 
you as the rest have done, and tell you that she, 
like a mother, carries you in her arras; supplies 
you with the necessaries of life ; maintains you with 
the variety of her products ; that, to serve you, she 
holds correspondence with all the other elements, 
and with the heavens themselves, for the procuring 
of their influence; that, in fine, she neither forsakes 
you in life nor in death; for, during life she 
nourishes and supports you, and at death, takes 



218 FIEST DAY. 

you into her bosom and there gives yoa a jsedtig- 
place. To xxmcluiie, fill the world cries aloud to 
you: Behold, O mortal man. and consider what 
love your Creator has had for you ; since for your 
sake He made me, commanding me, for love of 
Him, to serve you ; that so you may love and serve 
Him who created me for you. and you, for Himself. 
This, O Christian, is the voice of all creatures; 
after this, can you deny that you are strangely dull 
if you hear not these voices, and extremely ungrate- 
ful if von are insensible to so much oroodness ! If 
you receive a favor, return due thanks for the same, 
otherwise you will be punished for your ingratitude. 
For, says a holy Doctor, there is no creature in the 
world but speaks these three words to man : Receive, 
return, beware ; that is : Receive the benefit, return 
what you owe, and beware of the punishment that 
falls upon the ungrateful. 



ThIPwD Readls'g. 
Oomnum BuUs, chapter I. 



Fourth Reading. 

Benefits of Redempti c: // ■ J stification. 

(From the Writings of Father Granada.) 

Man, after his creation, was placed in the terres- 
trial paradise, and rai=€d to a high degree of honor 



READING FOB THE EVENING. 219 

and glory ; but, so far from acknowledging these 
benefits by fidelity in serving his Creator, he retel Jed 
against Him. By this ingratitude, he merited to be 
driven out of paradise which had been allotted to 
him for his abode. Consequently, he found him- 
self in the world as in a place of exile ; he was, 
moreover, condemned to the punishment of hell ; 
that, as pride had rendered him an associate in the 
sin of the demons, he might also share their suffer- 
ings and torments. The Prophet said to Giezi, his 
servant, after he received presents from Naaman, the 
leper (^in^'S ly., 4) : " Thou hast received the money 
of Naaman ; may his leprosy cleave to thee and to 
thy descendants forever.'^ God pronounced against 
man a similar sentence : Thou hast coveted the riches 
of Lucifer, participated in his pride and rebellion; 
therefore, let the leprosy of Lucifer, that is, the 
chastisement which he deserved, cleave to thee at 
the same hour. Thus, man becomes like to the 
demons; — having imitated their sin, he shares their 
torments. 

But God, whose mercy is as great as His Majesty, 
considered not so much the insult offered to His 
sovereign goodness, as our misfortune. Having 
more compassion for our unhappy condition, than 
resentment on account of our offenses. He resolved 
to succor man by the medium of His only Son, our 
Redeemer. But how was our reconciliation effected? 
Who is competent to explain such a favor? It 
establishes so close a friendship between God and 



220 FIRST DAY. 

man, that God not only pardons man, receiving him 
again into favor, making him one with Himself, by 
love; but, what is far beyond all expression, it 
unites man to Himself in such a manner, that, 
among all created things, there is nothing so closely 
united as the divine and the human nature in Jesus 
Christ ; for they are not only one in love and in 
grace, but also one in Person. 

Thus, was our reconciliation effected. This is 
the remedy we have received at the hands of our 
Mediator. And although we are infinitely more 
indebted to God for so sovereign a remedy, than we 
are able to express ; yet, we are under no less obli- 
gation to Him for the manner in which He applies 
this rem^edy, than for the remedy itself. I am 
infinitely indebted to Thee, O my God, for having 
delivered me from hell, and for having reconciled 
me to Thee ; but, I owe Thee much more for the 
manner in which Thou hast freed and reconciled 
me. All Thy works, O Lord, are admirable in all 
their parts ; and although it seems to man that he 
loses himself in the contemplation of any one of 
Thy marvels, the same vanishes, when he raises his 
eyes to heaven to consider another ; nor is this any 
discredit to Thy greatness, O Lord, that one prodigy 
eclipses another, but rather, it is an argument of 
Thy glory. 

What course, O my God, hast Thou taken to heal 
me? Thou mightest have procured my salvation by 
an infinite number of ways, without trouble or 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 221 

expense to Thee ; but Thy bounty was so great and 
surprising, that, to give ncie a more manifest proof 
of Thy goodness and love, Thou didst choose to 
relieve my miseries by Thy own sufferings, which 
were so vehement that the very thought of them, 
drew upon Thee a bloody sweat, and Thy under- 
going of them, rent the very rocks with grief. 

If it is true, O Lord, that I am thus indebted to 
Thee for having redeemed nie, what do I not owe 
Thee for having redeemed me in such a manner ? 
For, to redeem me. Thou hast suflFered incredible 
torments and disgrace ; Thou hast made Thyself the 
scorn of men and the contempt of the world, for 
love of me. To procure me honor. Thou hast dis- 
honored Thyself; and that I might be acquitted, 
Thou hast suffered Thyself to be accused. Thou 
hast shed Thy Blood to wash away the stains of my 
guilt; Thou hast died to raise me to life; and by 
Thy tears Thou hast delivered me from everlasting 
weeping and gnashing of teeth. How truly art Thou 
a kind Father, since Thou hast so loved Thy children ! 
How truly art Thou a good Shepherd, since Thou 
hast given Thyself for the nourishment of Thy flock ! 
How faithful a Guardian art Thou, since Thou hast 
so generously laid down Thy life for those whom 
Thou hast taken under Thy care ! What return 
shall I make Thee for such a gift? With what 
tears shall I make compensation for Thy tears? 
With wh^t life shall I repay this life? What pro- 
portion is there between the life of a man and that 



222 FIRST DAY. 

of a God ? between the tears of a creature and those of 
the Creator ? 

I appeal now to all creatures, whether man can 
conceive a greater benefit, a more generous favor, 
or an obligation more binding than this is. Tell 
me, ye choirs of Angels, whether God has ever 
done so much for you ? After this, can any man 
refuse to give himself entirely to the service of this 
good Master. I am indebted to Thee, O Lord, 
says St. Anselm, for all that I am, upon three 
several accounts : Because Thou hast created me, 
I owe Thee all that is in me; I owe Thee the same 
debt, and with more justice for having redeemed 
me; and because, after bestowing so many favors 
Thou hast promised to reward me, so should I be 
wholly Thine. Why, then, do I not give myself 
at once to Him to whom 1 am so justly due? Oh ! 
insupportable ingratitude ! Oh ! invincible hard- 
ness of the human heart, not to be softened by so 
many favors ! JSTothing in the world is so hard, 
that it may not be made softer. Fire melts metal ; 
iron grows flexible in the forge ; the blood of certain 
animals will soften even the diamond ; but, O un- 
happy heart, what iron, what diamond, is so hard 
as thou art, if neither the flames of hell, nor the 
care of so charitable a Father, nor the Blood of the 
spotless Lamb, which has been shed for thee, can 
make thee soft and flexible ? 

And I, says our Saviour, when I shall be lifted 
up from the earth, will draw all things to myself. 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 223 

With what force, O Lord, with what chains? With 
the force of my love, with the chains of my mercies. 
I will draw them, says the Lord, with the cords of 
Adam, with the bands of love. Who is there that 
will not be drawn by these cords ? Who will re- 
fuse to be bound by these chains ? who will not be 
won by these mercies ? 

Now, if it is so heinous a crime not to love this 
great God, what must it be, to offend Him, to despise 
His commandments? How dare you employ your 
hands in injuring those hands that have been so 
liberal to you, as to be nailed to the Cross for your 
sake? When the holy Patriarch, Joseph, was solicited 
by his lewd mistress, to betray his master, the chaste 
and grateful young man made this reply : Behold, 
my master hath delivered all his goods to me, 
except thee, who art his wife : How, then, can I 
do this wicked thing, and sin against my God? 
[Gen, XXXIX.) . We are to observe in these words, 
that Joseph does not say : I ought not ; or, it is 
not just that I should offend him; but he speaks 
in stronger terms : How can I do this wicked 
thing? — to signify that extraordinary favors ought 
to deprive us, not only of the will, but, in some 
measure, of the very power of offending our bene- 
factor. 

But, what would the benefit of our Redemption 
avail us, were it not followed by that of Justification, 
by which this extraordinary favor is applied to us? 
For, as medicine, how excellent soever it be, is 



224 FIRST DAY. 

wholly useless, if not applied to the distemper ; 
so, this heavenly medicine of the Blood of the Son 
of God, will effect no cure in us, if it be not 
applied to us, and if we be not disposed to take it. 
Now, this application is peculiarly the work of the 
Holy Ghost, to whom the sanctification of man is 
attributed. He it is who comes to the aid of the 
sinner with His mercy; who having thus prepared 
him, calls him; who justifies him when called; who 
conducts him when justified, in the paths of justice; 
and thus raises him to perfection by the gift of per- 
severance, to crown him, in the end, with everlasting 
glory. These are the different degrees of grace 
comprised in the inestimable favor of Justification. 
The first of all these graces is that of vocation. 
This is conferred when man, by the strength of this 
divine Spirit, having broken all the bonds and 
fetters of his sins, is freed from the tyranny and 
slavery of the devil, and raised from death to life ; 
when of a sinner, he becomes just; when from a 
child of wrath, he is made a child of God ; this is 
not accomplished without the special help of divine 
grace. Our Saviour tells us this by these words : 
"No man can come to me, except the Father draw 
him {John vi.), to signify that neither the free-will 
of man, nor all the advantages of human nature, are 
sufficient, of themselves, to lift a man out of the 
depths of sin, to a life of grace, unless the Almighty 
hand of Gt)d raises him up. But, who can explain 
the countless favors comprised in this ? For, it is 



HEADING t^OR THE EVENING. 225 

certain, that sin, by this means, is extracted from 
the soul, and sin is the cause of all its miseries ; 
hence, we may judge how great a good this must be, 
which expels so many evils. Now as the considera- 
tion of this benefit is a powerful motive to make us 
grateful, and a most efficacious one to excite us to 
the pursuit of virtue, I will explain in a few words 
the vast riches which this benefit brings with it. 

First, then, by the grace of Justification, sinful 
man is reconciled to God, and restored to His favor. 
The beloved disciple, St. John, so much extols this 
when he says: ^' Behold, what manner of charity 
the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should 
be called, and should be the sons of God.^^ (^St 
John I.) He does not think it enough to say that 
we are called the children of God, but he adds, that 
we are really such ; so that human distrust, which 
carries so much weakness and imperfection with it, 
should have a clearer and more distinct view of the 
liberality of God's grace, and perceive that He has 
truly and really ennobled man, by making him His 
son, and not giving him merely the title. 

Secondly, by Justification, man is delivered from 
eternal reprobation to which sin had condemned 
him. For, sin rendering man odious to God, it is 
impossible to be an object of God^s hatred, without 
being, at the same time, in the greatest misery. 
Hence, it follows, that the wicked having despised 
God and separated themselves from Him, they most 
justly deserve to be rejected, to be despised by Him, 
15 



226 FIRST BAY. 

Justification produces another result more spiritual 
than the preceding; this is^ the renovation and 
reformation of the inward man. God, who is an 
infinite abyss of mercy, is not content to pardon our 
sins and restore us to His friendship ; He wishes to 
banish from our souls all the disorders which follow 
in the train of sin, by renewing within us the in- 
ward man : He heals our wounds, cleanses our 
defilements, breaks our chains, relieves us of the 
burden of evil desires, frees us from the slavery 
and captivity of the devil ; He moderates the vio- 
lence of our passions, restores us to true liberty, 
giving to our soul its first beauty; He brings back 
joy and peace into our conscience and enlivens our 
interior sentiments ; gives us an impulse for good 
and an aversion for evil ; He strengthens us against 
temptations, and, after all these advantages, en- 
riches us with the treasure of good works. In 
fine. He repairs the inward man and all his 
faculties after such a manner, that the Apostle 
does not hesitate to call those who are thus justified, 
new men and new creatures. 

To all these benefits, God, in His goodness, has 
added another, namely : the presence of the Holy 
Ghost and of the Blessed Trinity in the soul of him 
who is justified, to abide there and to instruct him 
in the use he is to make of his riches : like to a good 
father, who is not satisfied to leave his estate to his 
children, but provides a guardian to manage it for 
them. The soul of the sinner is a den of vipers, 



BEADING FOB THE EVENING. 22? 

dragons, and serpents; that is, a place where all 
sorts of wicked spirits dwell, as our Saviour says in 
the Gospel {8L Matth. xii., SL Luke xxi.); on 
the contrary, the soul of a man justified, becomes 
the habitation of the three Persons of the Blessed 
Trinity, as our Lord expressly signifies by these 
words : ^^ If any one love me, he will keep my word ; 
and my Father will love him, and we will come to 
him, and will make our abode with him/^ (^8t. 
John XIV.). 

To these favors may be added one more, which 
is : that all who are justified, become living mem- 
bers of the mystical body of Jesus Christ ; whereas 
before, they were dead members incapable of receiv- 
ing the influence of His grace. From this benefit, 
spring many new and singular prerogatives : The 
Son of God loves and cherishes them as His own 
members ; and, as their Head, He is continually 
imparting His force and vigor to them ; the Eternal 
Father looks upon them with eyes of affection, con- 
sidering them as living members of His only Son, 
united and incorporated with Him by the participa- 
tion of His spirit; therefore, their actions are meri- 
torious, being the actions of living members of Jesus 
Christ. 

Hence, when these justified souls ask any favor 
of God, they do so with perfect confidence; knowing 
that it is not so much for themselves that they ask 
it, as for tlie Son of God who is honored and glori- 
fied with them ; for, it is incontestable, that the good 



228 FItiST DAY. 

which is done to the members, is also extended to 
the Head. 

But, let us conclude by the most important of all 
privileges, the end to which all others are directed, 
namely : the right which all justified sinners have, 
to eternal life. As God, who is no less merciful 
than just, condemns impenitent sinners to everlasting 
torments ; on the other hand. He rewards all true 
penitents with eternal happiness. And though He 
could forgive men their sins, and restore them to 
His friendship, without raising them to a partici- 
pation of His glory, yet He would not do so ; but, 
by an excess of mercy. He justifies those whom He 
pardons ; adopts as His children those whom He 
justifies, making them His heirs, giving them a 
share in His riches with His only Son. 

Hence proceeds that lively hope which comforts 
the just in all their tribulations; because they are 
assured of this inestimable happiness. For, though 
they are encompassed with the infirmities and 
miseries of this life, they know that all the evils 
they can suffer here below bear no comparison with 
the glory prepared for them hereafter ; on the con- 
trary {II. Cor, IV.), present afflictions, although 
light, will work for them an eternal weight of 
glory. 

These are the advantages comprehended under 
the inestimable benefit of Justification, which St. 
Augustine, with a great deal of reason, prefers to 
the creation of the whole world ; for God created 



BEADING FOE THE EVENING. 229 

the universe with a word ; but the Justification of 
sinful man was at the expense of His Blood, and of 
the most grievous torments. Now, if we are so 
much indebted to the goodness of Almighty God 
for our creation, how much more do we owe Him 
for having justified us at so great a cost ! 



230 SECO-ND DAY. 



SECOND DAY. 



First Reading for the Morning. 

Following of Christy Book I. chapter xxii. 



Second Reading. 

On the Knowledge of One^s Self. 

(From the Writings of Father Granada.) 

We have now to consider our miseries which are 
very great and numerous : miseries of the soul and 
those of the body. 

As regards the miseries of the soul, there are three 
kinds : the evils common to human nature, extend- 
ing, generally, to all mankind ; the sins committed 
before conversion, and those committed after giving 
one's self to God. 

I. As to the first, no one can express the poverty, 
destitution, and disorder, to which human nature 
was reduced by sin, nor how incapable it is of any 
good, unless aided by a special grace of the Holy 
Ghost. Of these numerous miseries, there are four 
which you should attentively consider, as they are 
the sources of all others. 

1. The first is, to have been conceived in sin ; 
and this misfortune David alleges as an excuse, 
when he says : '^ O Lord, I was conceived in iniquity, 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 231 

and in sins did my mother conceive me.'^ He calls 
iniquity and sins the original sin because^ as says 
a holy Doctor, although a single act, it included 
all sins; for all sins spring from this root, as from 
a mortal venom. This makes the road of virtue so 
difficult, as holy Job signifies in these words: ^^ Who 
can make him clean, that is conceived of unclean 
seed, if not Thou alone, O my God?'' For, as 
woollen cloth dyed in the fleece, retains the dye ; so, 
the inclination to sin remains, having its source in 
man himself, in the flesh and blood of which he is 
formed, unless he is in a most special manner assisted 
by God. And, as it is almost impossible to extract 
those humors which a man has imbibed with his 
mother's milk, what shall we say of those contracted 
in his very formation? 

2. From this springs another deplorable misery, 
which is, that all the powers of man have been 
weakened and corrupted. For, as the virtue of 
leaven is diffused throughout the paste, communi- 
cating its acidity thereto, if left for a long time ; 
and, as a poisoned beverage penetrates all the mem- 
bers of the body in an instant, inflating and filling 
them with its malignity ; so, the poisonous leaven 
of original sin is spread through all the faculties of 
the soul, imprinting on them disease and contagion. 
Hence, it is, that the understanding, which is the 
chief of these faculties, is obscured in regard to the 
things of God ; the will is enfeebled for effecting 
good ; the inclination to evil is strong, the memory 



232 SECOND DAY. 

wandering, the ima^-inatioD restl-ss : and this miser- 
able flesh with which wt- are ci-'tlit-d. is tainted, io- 
fee-tcd, and pr^ine t'.' evii. C'jn-id'cr. particularly, the 
trouble and inquit-tude ot your imaginatiou. and how 
oppuscil it is tu reas'jn. -iuce you can scarce acuom- 
pli-h the shortest prayer, befure it steals you away 
from yourself, wanders to evrry c-jmer of the earth, 
like a leaf at the sport ^jf tht \^inds. 

As regards the exterior stns^s. yuu have only to 
consider with attention. :;• h '.v many dangers your 
soul is exp^'Std by the s:g:.: alone: and you will 
easily comprt-ht-nd the truth of these words of 
Ecclesiasticus : "What i- there more dangerous in 
the world than the eyes of man?" There is 
scarctly an evil uu earth oi which the eye has not 
been the source. And if you would kuuw the true 
cause of this, it is becau-e we have lost original 
justice and grace. FL>r. as salt prest.4'Vc- iiica: from 
becoming corrupted, and without this pic-nvative 
it soon becomes cuuvt-rted into worms and d-cay ; 
in like manner, is human nature preserved in purity 
by justice and grace; but having lo^t this by sin, 
the powers of man are inclined to evil with wonder- 
ful facility, and are applied to virtue with incredible 
reluctance, unless divine grace repairs and fortifies 
them. 

3. From this same rout. springs the tyrannical 
empire of self-love, which may be called the eldest- 
born ot original sin : for the one turns from God 
and does not wish to see Him : and tht other turns to 



READING FOB THE MORNING. 233 

self by a disorderly aifectioii^ loving self above all 
things, even more than God Himself. St. Thomas 
says, that this false love enters into all the sins com- 
mitted in the world, that it is the unhappy cause 
of them ; and this is true, since no one sins but 
to enjoy something for which he has a disorderly 
aflFection, and which he prefers to God and to the 
observance of His commandments. All other dis- 
orders in the world, are bad fruits springing from 
this evil tree. From this evil arises that eagerness 
which impels man to seek his own interest, and 
strangely to neglect the claims of God. From this 
also springs their sensitiveness in what touches their 
honor, while they are most indiflferent in what regards 
the honor of God ; they are zealous in the pursuit 
of their own affairs, but slothful in what concerns 
the service of God : no labor seems difficult to them 
when their advantage is in question, but for God, 
they would not take a step ; they would leave noth- 
ing undone for the health of their body, but take 
not the least pains about the salvation of their soul : 
the slightest loss in temporal matters troubles them, 
but they heed not the loss of the eternal goods of 
the soul. 

Were you to reflect upon your own misery, you 
would be convinced, from sad experience, of this 
truth. See how much time and effort it requires to 
enkindle within your heart a little devotion and 
fervor of spirit ; and how easily it is again cooled, 
since it vanishes in an instant. 



234 SECOND DAY. 

By this you will perceive, that nature of itself, 
has an astonishing tendency to evil, and a strange 
opposition to good. It is like dry tinder with regard 
to vice, and as green and wet wood with regard to 
virtue : on one side, a single spark is sufficient to 
produce a great conflagration in an instant; and, on 
the other, a long time and much care are necessary 
to heat it. 

4. From this disorder and corruption springs 
another misery : men degrade themselves from the 
rank to which their birth entitles them ; they retain 
nothing of the nobility of their origin, they debase 
and put themselves on a level with beasts. The 
Prophet deplores this misery, saying : ^^ Man was 
put in a sublime state by his creation, and he knew 
it not ; he has placed himself on a level with beasts, 
that have no reason, and has become like to them.'^ 
For, setting aside many other points of resemblance, 
we see clearly that, as beasts love, seek, and desire 
only sensible goods, because their nature is not 
capable of conceiving anything more elevated ; so, 
the greater part of men become, through their own 
fault, what beasts are by nature : their thoughts, 
conversations, solicitudes, desires, and aiJections, tend 
only to things of earth, losing sight that they are 
men gifted with reason ; that a holy law is laid 
upon them ; that eternal hopes and another life are 
held out to them. 

Behold, then, what man has become by sin. 
After having been raised by his creation to so 



BEADING FOB THE MORNING. 235 

elevated and dignified a state, he has become like 
to beasts ; he has been despoiled of all the gifts of 
grace, wounded in those of nature, driven from 
Paradise and banished to this world ; made an 
enemy of God, a child of wrath, justly excluded 
from all the gifts of glory ; and, at the moment of 
his birth, he enters into the world with all these 
miseries, which are the inheritance of the children 
of Adam. If, after all this, you wish a more 
striking picture, cast your eyes upon Job, after 
being abandoned, by divine permission, to the per- 
secutions of the devil : he sees his flocks carried 
away, his houses destroyed, his children killed, and 
he himself covered with sores from head to foot ; 
having no dwelling-place but a dung-hill upon 
w^hich he is seated, and removing the corruption 
that issues from his sores, with a potsherd. After 
sin, the devil reduced our soul to the condition to 
which he subjected the body of this holy man, after 
receiving power to afflict it. Then, man forfeited 
all the gifts of grace ; all those of nature became 
feeble and languid ; from a paradise of delights, he 
was cast into this miserable world, as upon a dung- 
hill, with nothing to remove the filth of his spiritual 
wounds, that is to say, his vicious inclinations and 
passions, but a piece of broken clay, as I may term 
his free-will ; for, although after the fall, man pre- 
served his liberty, so that it was in his power not 
to consent to sin, yet, he cannot prevent himself 
from being strongly inclined to evil. 



236 SECOND DAY. 

II. After consideriDg the miseries common to all 
men, reflect on those which regard you individually. 
See what your past life has been, and how you live 
at present : by this you will ascertain how much you 
have contributed to your ow^n misery ; and that you 
have augmented by your actual sins and by the habit 
of sin, your original corruption. For, there is nothing 
more contrary to a rational creature than to live in 
opposition to the rules of reason ; and, as it is the 
property of contraries to destroy one another, nothing 
causes such havoc among men, as the habit of living 
in sin. Examine the course of your life, the time 
when you were farthest from God ; and you will find 
during that period, more or less prolonged, that you 
lived as a child of the world, as a slave of sin and 
of the demon, as a Pagan who has no knowledge of 
God or of His law. For, though you had faith, you 
acted as if you had not received this divine light. 

III. This consideration of your past disorders, 
should be followed by serious meditation on the sins 
of which you daily render yourself guilty ; count 
them one by one ; and as a sick man does not fail 
to point out all the infirmities of the body to his 
physician, in like manner, do you expose frankly, 
all your miseries to God, that He may cure them. 
See if you are subject to anger ; if you are too fond 
of your ease, if you are vain or curious ; if you are 
inconstant in your good purposes ; if you speak too 
freely, if you are envious or proud ; if you harbor 
malice in your heart or practise dissimulation ; if 



tlEABING FOR THE EVENING. 237 

you too eagerly follow your inclinations ; if there 
lurk in you any root of pride, ambition, attachment 
to your own will, sloth in the pursuit of good ; if 
you are severe or exacting in regard to your neigh- 
bor; in fine, if you are filled with self-love and 
prompt to follow the impulse of passion. This 
Knowledge of Self is the key of true humility and 
the secret of your advancement; without this 
Knowledge you will never be humble ; you will 
not understand what you owe to God, nor will you 
labor efficaciously for the cure of your spiritual 
maladies. 



Third Reading. 

Common Rules, chapter ii. 



Fourth Reading. 

On the Abuse of Grace ^ and the Means of 
Avoiding so great an Evil. 

(From the Writings of Father Courbon). 

A powerful means to enable you to be faithful to 
grace, is, to have a continual fear of abusing it. 
In order to excite this salutary fear in your soul, 
endeavor to be convinced of these three truths : 
First, that the greatest misfortune which can befall 
us is, to abuse the grace of God. Second, that this 



238 SECOND DAY. 

misfortune befalls the greater part of mankind. 
Third, that there is nothing less feared than the 
abuse of grace. 

What a misfortune to abuse so essential a good, 
without which we can do nothing in the order of 
salvation ; — an excellent good, by which we can 
accomplish all things ; — a good most precious and 
far transcending all the riches of this world ; for, a 
single degree of grace is infinitely more estimable 
than all the gifts of nature. 

To abuse the grace of God, is to abuse the Blood 
of Jesus Christ, since it is the price thereof. This 
is the expression the great Apostle uses, to prevent 
us from neglecting anything by which we may 
acquire this precious treasure of the grace of Jesus 
Christ, and preserve it when we have the happiness 
of possessing it : " Do you not know, says he, that 
your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who 
resides in you, and who has been given you by God, 
and that you do not belong to yourself, for you have 
been redeemed at a great price.^^ 

To lose the grace of God, is to lose your soul, to 
lose Paradise; it is losing God Himself; it is to 
force this Father, so good, mild, and merciful, to 
become a severe and inflexible Judge, who will be 
eternally avenged, if we become His enemies by 
abusing His grace ; for, as graces well-improved 
are a treasure of merit for man; those which are 
neglected and despised, are a treasure of the wrath 
of God. Jesus Christ says that He will demand 



HEADING FOE THE EVENING. 239 

more of him who shall have received more ; and that 
a more rigorous account will be required of him to 
whom the more precious talents will have been 
intrusted : words that have caused the greatest 
Saints to tremble. 

The more graces Thou bestowest upon us, O my 
God, the greater maledictions we shall incur, if we 
are so unfortunate as to abuse them. Wo to thee, 
Corozain, wo to thee, Bethsaida, for if the wonders 
that have been done in thee, had been wrought in 
Tyre and Sidon, these cities would have done pen- 
ance in sackcloth and ashes. And thou, Caphar- 
naum, dost thou elevate thyself to heaven ? thou 
shalt descend even to hell ; for if the miracles that 
have been done in thy midst, had been wrought in 
Sodom, she would, perhaps, have subsisted to this 
day ; therefore, I declare to thee, that Sodom shall 
be less punished than thou in the day of judgment.'' 
All these words of Jesus Christ should convince us 
of this first truth : the greatest misfortune that can 
happen to us, is, to abuse the grace of God ; and 
that the more He grants, the more fearful should 
we be of abusing them. 

The greater part of manJcind abuse the graces of 
God: this is the second truth which should be well 
impressed upon our mind, that we may avoid such 
a misfortune. Attend seriously to the words of the 
Prophet Isaias, by which God reproaches men for 
the continual abuse of His graces. *' I have called,'' 
says God, ^^ and no one has replied ; I have spoken, 



240 SECOND DAY. 

and they have not heard ; but they have done evil 
before my eyes ; they have desired what I willed 
not. I have extended my hands during the day to 
an incredulous people, who walk in a way that is 
not good, following their own thoughts. What 
more could I do to my vineyard that I have not 
done to it? I expected it to bring forth grapes and 
it hath brought forth wild grapes. And now I will 
show you, what I will do to my vineyard ! I will 
take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be wasted : 
I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be 
trodden down : I will make it desolate ; it shall not 
be pruned, and it shall not be digged ; but briars 
and thorns shall come up : and I will command the 
clouds to rain no rain upon it.'^ 

How many holy inspirations neglected ! How 
many emotions contemned and rejected ! These are 
precious graces that would have been followed by 
others still greater. This is a divine seed which 
will produce fruit for heaven if we cultivate it. All 
this becomes useless by the abuse of the greater part 
of mankind. 

The third truth is not less evident than the two 
preceding ones, namely: that there is nothing less 
feared by the greater number of men, than the abuse 
of grace. Men are in continual apprehension of 
losing their temporal goods ; every one fears to be 
despised, to be poor, infirm, unprotected; to lose 
a cause, to be unsuccessful in an important aflFair ; 
every precaution is taken on such occasions, and 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 241 

the best means adopted to ensure success. What is 
not done for the preservation of health, for the pro- 
longation of life ! so appalling is the thought of 
death ! But, O my God, what strange blindness 
in man ! Where is he to be found who thus fears 
to abuse Thy graces ? 

To avoid falling into the misfortune of those 
who despise the grace of God, try to impress upon 
your mind the truths which are about to be ex- 
plained. 

1. It is certain, that the number of graces still in 
reserve for me, is not infinite; in the designs of God, 
that measure is limited. There will be a last day 
for me; a last hour, a last confession, a last Com- 
munion, a last inspiration ; and I shall ever be un- 
certain as to the time of these graces. How great, 
then, is my temerity when I reckon upon future 
graces, despising the present ! 

2. Of all the chastisements inflicted by God on 
the sinner during life, there is none to be more 
dreaded than the subtraction of His graces. 

If, notwithstanding all God's efforts to keep me 
in His friendship, I voluntarily withdraw from 
Him ; if, notwithstanding so much care and so 
many advances on His part, to shield me, to recall 
me from my wanderings, I still persist in my obsti- 
nacy, close my ear to all the warnings He gives 
me; allowing Him to act, to speak for entire years, 
without giving Him any reply ; should I complain 
if He withdraw His graces and despise me, after 
16 



242 SECOND DAY. 

having so long despised Him ; if He harden His 
heart against me, after I have been so long hardened 
against Him ! Why should God give me His power- 
ful assistance, if I remain inactive, lead an idle, 
slothful life, destitute of good works ? 

The Holy Scripture teaches me, that the sterile 
' fig-tree was struck with anathema, because it bore 
no fruit ; that the barren soil was cursed, because it 
did not bring forth grain, or because the grain was 
indifferent ; that the slothful servant was condemned, 
and deprived of the talent he had received, because 
he did not put it to profit. 

3. It is certain, tliat this terrible chastisement of 
the withdrawal of graces is more common than is 
imagined ; and that daily, an infinity of Christians 
are guilty of the same fault as the guests mentioned 
in the Gospel : they excused themselves ; but the 
Master sent His servants to gather all they could 
find, all the poor and the infirm, that they might 
eat at His table. He was told that the order had 
been executed, but there still was room. He then 
sent His servants into the highways, to search the 
streets and in some degree, to compel the passers-by 
to enter, that His house might be filled. 

Grace operates wonders among foreign nations : 
Jesus Crucified is there adored, after He is known ; 
the Gospel is there practised ; whereas among us, a 
life altogether Pagan is led ; faith is weak ; the word 
of God is everywhere preached, but the greater 
number of men do not listen to it, or, at least, they 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 243 

derive no profit from it ; it will be preached to nations 
that will heed, and profit by it. 

Let us then continually fear to abuse the grace of 
God, and often say with David : Lord, cast me not 
away from Thy face, and take not Thy Holy Spirit 
from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, 
and strengthen me with a perfect spirit. O my God, 
let the treasure of Thy graces flow upon me, close 
not the bowels of Thy mercy against me ; restore to 
me this rich talent; if I ask for it again, it is not to 
waste and lose it, but to re-enter the path that leads 
to Thee, and walk therein with fidelity and perse- 
verance. 

In fine, often recall the words of Almighty God in 
the Apocalypse : '' Behold I come quickly : hold fast 
that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.^^ 

The first means to be employed, to prevent us from 
abusing the graces of God, is to be profoundly 
humble. 

The prayer of him who humbles himself, shall 
pierce the clouds, says Ecclesiasticus. And the Lord 
adds by His Prophet, Isaias : ^' Upon whom shall I 
cast my eyes, but upon the poor man, whose heart 
is broken and humbled, and who listens to my words 
with trembling ? '^ 

God resists the proud, and gives His grace to the 
humble, says the Apostle, St. James. 

God is high, says St. Augustine ; if you elevate 
yourself. He flies from you ; if you abase yourself, 
He descends to you. 



244 SECOND DAY. 

A second means to draw down new graces, is, to 
thank God incessantly for those He has already 
bestowed upon us, and to say with David : ^' I will 
sing Thy mercies eternally, O my God. My soul, 
bless the Lord, and never forget His benefits. 
What shall I render to the Lord for all He has 
done for me ? ^^ To these words of the Prophet, let 
us add those of St. Bernard : "My spirit is over- 
whelmed when I consider the benefits of God ; I 
cannot return worthy thanks, but my soul abhors 
ingratitude.'' 

A third means, is, to correspond promptly to the 
inspirations of God, doing without delay what the 
Holy Spirit suggests for the love and glory of 
God. All the graces of God are so many sparks of 
that divine fire which Jesus Christ came to bring 
upon earth, to enkindle a great flame in our hearts ; 
but languor, sloth, and want of courage in timid 
, souls, extinguish it. 

Do not extinguish the spirit, says St. Paul ; it is 
a light which reveals the truth to us ; we should 
gather and preserve it carefully, lest it be extin- 
guished through our fault ; it should serve us as a 
guide and rule. At one time, this spirit is a desire 
which God gives us to perform a certain act of vir- 
tue; we should faithfully correspond thereto; our 
fidelity will, perhaps, be the source of great happiness 
to us, as has been the case with many Saints under 
similar circumstances. Again, it is with a spirit of 
mortification that God inspires us, and which He 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 245 

demands of iis. If we listen to His voice, this grace 
will produce great fruits within us ; it will be the 
cause of our sanctification. If we despise it, this 
contempt will, perhaps, be the commencement of our 
loss, and of our eternal unhappiness. If to-day, 
says David, you hear the voice of God, harden not 
your hearts. 

In fine, if you would shield yourself from the 
danger of abusing the grace of God, give yourself 
up to recollection ; fear dissipation. St. Bernard 
cries out : " I feel a great sadness of heart and con- 
tinual grief when I see many Religious so light, so 
easily yielding to dissipation, to jests and idle words ; 
I fear exceedingly, that, not remembering the mercies 
of the Lord, and being ungrateful for the number- 
less benefits they have received from Him, they 
will be abandoned by grace which they do not 
appreciate.'^ 

Recollection preserves many goods which dissipa- 
tion is wont quickly to lose. How strange, that 
man can give himself up to joy in this life, which is 
only an exile, and where he is exposed to countless 
dangers. By a certain levity of mind, and a con- 
tempt of our faults, we do not feel the miseries of 
our conscience, but often vainly laugh, when in all 
reason, we ought to weep. 

There is no true liberty and solid joy but in the 
fear of God, and a good conscience ; to souls of this 
character, St. Paul addresses these words : " Be 
always joyful, pray without ceasing, give thanks 



246 SECOND DAY. 

to God for all things ; for God wills that you do all 
in Jesus Christ. 

God does not communicate Himself to a soul that 
is in constant dissipation^ incessantly occupied with 
a thousand superfluous cares ; such a one is not in 
a state to hear the voice of Him who says : I will 
lead her into solitude and there speak to her heart. 
St. Gregory remarks^ that when Jesus wishes to 
inflame a soul with His divine love, one of the first 
graces He imparts, is, to give a strong attraction for 
the spirit of interior recollection. But this grace is 
often abused. The most ordinary cause of our 
remissness, is a want of recollection and a guard 
over ourselves. 

A fourth means to draw upon us the graces of 
God, is ardently to desire them : ^^ Blessed are they 
that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall 
be fiUed.^^ By these words, Jesus Christ teaches 
us that He is always ready to impart His graces to 
those who earnestly desire them. He invites us to 
excite this desire within us, when He says : '' If any 
one thirst, let him come to me and drink.^^ He 
said to the Samaritan woman : '' If thou didst know 
the gift of God, and who He is that asketh of thee 
to drink, thou wouldst ask of Him, and He would 
give thee living water.'^ In speaking thus to this 
poor sinner, He stirred up in her heart a great 
desire of His grace. Lord, she cried out, as soon 
as her eyes were opened, give me of this water ! 



EEADING FOR THE EVENING. 247 

David says : ^^ O my God, to Thee do I watch at 
break of day ; for Thee my soul has thirsted, oh ! 
how many ways; my flesh longeth for Thee exceed- 
ingly ; for I am in a desert and pathless land, where 
there is no water/^ Understand, by the words of 
the Prophet, that, in order to burn with this super- 
natural thirst, to desire grace with ardor, we must 
have a contempt for the muddy w^aters of the vain 
pleasures of this world. When, O carnal man, will 
you return from your wanderings, and comprehend, 
like this holy King, that in this desert land, you 
will find no road to conduct you to happiness, no 
water to refresh you ! When will you understand 
the gift of God? 

In order to excite in yourself an ardent desire of 
the graces of God, join to the sight of your miseries 
and nothingness, the thought of the infinite good- 
ness of God, who is ready to heal you, to open to 
you the treasure of His graces, as soon as you will 
open your heart by fervent desires to receive them. 

A fifth means to draw down the graces of God, 
is, prayer. The Saints teach us that prayer is the 
source of all graces ; that by it, our sighs and groans 
ascend to God, and we draw down the divine succor 
promised by Jesus Christ in these words : *^Ask, 
and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; 
knock, and it shall be opened to you.'^ 



248 THIRD DAY. 



THIRD DAY. 



First Reading for the Morning. 

Following of Christ, Book I. chapter xxi. 



Second Reading. 
On the Death of the Just. 

(From the Writings of Father Granada. ) 

The last privilege of virtue is the glorious Death 
of the Just. At the moment of death, the sinner 
receives the punishment of his sins, and the just 
man, the reward of his deserts, according to Ecclesi- 
asticus : '^ He that fears the Lord shall be happy in 
the last day; and, in the day of his death, he shall 
be blessed ; '' that is, he shall have the reward of 
his labors. St. John, in his Revelation, declares 
the same to us more clearly saying, that : He heard 
a voice from heaven which commanded him to write, 
and the words it dictated were these : ^^ Blessed are 
the dead that die in the Lord, because the Holy 
Ghost tells them, that they shall rest from their 
labors, for their works follow them." How is it 
possible, then, for a just man that has received such 
a promise as this from Almighty God, Himself, to 
be alarmed at the hour of his death, seeing that he 



BEADING FOR THE MORNING, 249 

is on the point of receiving what he has been labor- 
ing for all his lifetime? 

For this reason, Job says, speaking of the just 
man : That he shall be as bright in the evening as 
the sun at noonday ; and when he shall imagine 
himself to be quite spent, he shall arise like the 
morning star. St. Gregory, writing upon these 
words, says: ^^This morning brightness shines upon 
the just man in the evening, because, at the hour 
of his death, he perceives some glimmerings of the 
glory prepared for him ; and, therefore, when others 
weep and are the most dejected, he is most comforted 
in God, in whom he has placed his trust. Solomon, 
in his Proverbs, testifies the same, when he says : 
" The wicked man shall be rejected because of his 
sins, but the just shall be in hope.^' Hence, could 
any one have greater confidence than St. Martin on 
his death-bed? Seeing the devil by him, he said : 
"What dost thou here, cruel beast? thou shalt find 
no mortal sin in me ; therefore, I shall be received 
into Abrahara^s bosom in peace." Again, what greater 
confidence can there be, than that of St. Dominic? 
Seeing his religious brethren in tears, he comforted 
them, saying : Be not afflicted, my children, for I 
shall do you much more service where I am going, 
than I could do you here. How could that man be 
afraid of death, who was so certain of his own sal- 
vation, as to promise to render others participants in 
his happiness ? 



250 THIRD DAY. 

The just man is not afraid of death^ because he 
has been afraid of life ; — -the fear a man has of death, 
being the effects of a bad life. He is not afraid of 
death, because he has spent all his life in preparing 
himself to die well ; and he that stands always upon 
his guard, has no need to fear his enemies. He is 
not afraid of death, because the whole employment 
of his life has been to lay up good works that will 
profit him at this moment. He is not afraid of 
death, because the many services he has done his 
Judge, will dispose Him to be kind and favorable 
at that time. He is not afraid of death, because 
death is not death, but only a slumber to a just man; 
it is not death, it is but a change ; it is not death, it 
is but the last day of his toils and labors ; it is not 
death, but only the way that leads to life, and the 
last step by which he mounts to immortality. 

What could inspire any dread of death ? Could 
it be the sufferings that usually accompany it? But, 
does he not know that these are only childbed pangs, 
that give him birth to that eternity, the constant 
and only object of his desires, — the thought of which 
could alone make this life endurable? Does he fear 
the rigor of God's judgment ? the presence of the 
infernal legions ? But, has he not in this good and 
powerful God whom he has always sought to please, 
a Redeemer, an Advocate, a Protector? Does he 
fear the horrors of the grave ? but does he not know 
that he must sow a corruptible body, that it may rise 
incorruptible and spiritual ? 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 251 

If it is true, that the end crowns the work ; and 
if, as Seneca says, ^^we must judge of all the rest 
by the last day ; ^^ if the end of the good is so calm 
and happy, and that of the wicked so disturbed and 
painful ; is any other consideration necessary to de- 
tach us from vice and inspire us with the k)ve of 
virtue? Ah! what are all the riches, pleasures, 
honors, and joys of the world to me, if, in the end, 
I am to be precipitated into the abyss of hell ? And 
what have I to dread from all the evils of this life, 
if they are to be followed by an eternal peace and 
happiness ? — If they are for me an assured pledge 
of future glory ? 

Let the wicked manage their affairs in this world 
with all possible cunning ; what will their craft 
avail but to procure such things as will serve to 
make them more proud, more vain and sensual ; 
more able to sin, more powerless to do good ; and 
make death so much the more bitter, after a life of 
pleasure and enjoyment? The chief business of a 
wise man is to prepare the means of reaching his end. 
Therefore, if we regard him as a skilful physician, who 
knows what remedies to prescribe for the recovery 
of health, we must consider that man truly wise, 
who knows how to regulate his life so as to secure 
a good and holy death, and a favorable judgment. 

To confirm what I have advanced, I shall here 
give two remarkable examples taken from the 
Dialogues of Pope, St. Gregory ; they will show 
us how happy is the death of the just. 



252 THIRD DAY. 

There was at Rome^ says he, a man named 
ServLilus, very destitute of the goods of fortune, 
but very rich in those of grace ; his usual station 
was under a porch before St. Clement's church ; he 
had no living, but the alms of those who passed by. 
His limbs were so crippled, that he could neither 
rise, nor sit on his bed, nor so much as raise his 
hand to his mouth, nor change position. His 
mother and brother kept him company and assisted 
him ; by their hands, he distributed among the poor 
all superfluous alms. He could not read ; yet, he 
had purchased some books of Scripture, and when 
devout persons came to visit him, he would request 
them to read some passages to him ; and, in this 
manner, he became sufficiently versed in Holy 
Scripture. In his most grievous sufferings, he was 
always careful to give thanks to God ; and he 
employed himself, day and night, in singing hymns 
and canticles in His honor. 

At last, the time appointed by our Lord to re- 
ward his great patience being come, Servulus fell 
extremely ill. Perceiving that his death was at 
hand, he summoned certain strangers to whom he 
had extended hospitality, exhorting them to rise 
and unite with him in praising God for the hope 
he entertained of his approaching end. But he 
suddenly ceased singing, crying out : Silence ! do 
you not hear the hymns of praise resounding in 
heaven ? And listening thus with the ear of his 
heart to the voice he heard within himself, his holy 



EEADING FOR THE MORNING. 253 

soul departed from his body. Immediately, an ex- 
traordinary fragrance filled all present with ineffable 
delight, convincing them that the holy man really 
heard the songs of praise and joy with which his 
beautiful soul was received into heaven. One of 
our Religious was present when this prodigy hap- 
pened ; he is still living, and, with tears, he testifies 
that the witnesses of this death never lost the sweet 
odor until the body was buried. 

About the time I resolved to enter into a monas- 
tery, there lived at Rome an aged woman, named 
Redempta ; she wore the religious habit, and dwelt 
near the church of the Blessed Virgin. She had 
formerly been under the care of a certain holy vir- 
gin called Hirundina, held in great esteem for her 
virtue, having led a solitary life among the moun- 
tains of Prestre, This Redempta had as disciples, 
or novices, two other young maidens ; the name of 
one was Romula; as for the other, who is still 
living, I know her by sight, but cannot tell her 
name. These three virgins lived in the same house, 
leading a very poor but holy life. Romula, how- 
ever, surpassed her companion by the merits she 
acquired, being a woman of wonderful patience, of 
most perfect obedience, of extraordinary recollection, 
a very strict observer of silence, and much given to 
prayer. 

But it often happens that those who appear per- 
fect in the eyes of men, are still subject to some 
imperfections before God. Let us make a very 



254 THIRD DAY. 

simple comparison : it is not rare for persons igno- 
rant of the art of painting, to extol a picture, 
although it has not yet received the finishing 
touches ; but the artist who knows that much yet 
is wanting, does not desist from his labor until he 
has perfected the work, notwithstanding the praise 
bestowed upon it. Thus did Jesus Christ deal with 
Romula. He was pleased to purify her by a uni- 
versal paralysis which confined her to bed for many 
years, deprived of the use of her limbs. Her pains 
and sufferings never moved her to the least impa- 
tience ; on the contrary, the weakness of her members 
seemed to give new vigor to her virtues ; so, that the 
less able she was to do anything else, the more she 
exercised herself in devotion and prayer. 

One night she called her mother Redempta, who 
had trained these two disciples as if they had been 
her own daughters, and said to her : Come hither, 
my dear mother, come hither, I pray you. Re- 
dempta went immediately to her with her other 
disciple, as both of them have since related many 
times to several persons ; so that the aEFair has now 
become public, and I myself had an account of it. 
About midnight, as they were sitting at her bed- 
side, there suddenly appeared a light from heaven 
filling the whole chamber. So dazzling was the 
brightness, that all present were seized with fear ; 
and, as they afterwards related, their bodies were 
chilled, through excessive terror. 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 255 

Unable to bear the extraordinary brightness of 
this light, Romula comforted her mother trembling 
with fear, saying with love and sweetness : Be not 
afraid, dear mother, for I am not dying yet ; and 
repeating these words many times, the light lessened 
by degrees, until it entirely disappeared ; but the 
sweet odor, on the contrary, continued for the space 
of three days. On the night of the third day, she 
called her mistress again, and asked for the Holy 
Viaticum. She received it, and scarce had Re- 
dempta and her companion gone from Romula^s 
bedside, than they heard, at the entrance of the cell 
door, two choirs of musicians, men and women, as 
near as they could judge by the difference of voices ; 
the men chanted psalms and the women responded ; 
and thus performing the rites of this celestial funeral, 
her holy soul quitted the prison of the body and 
departed for heaven. The music and sweet fra- 
grance ascended with her; so that the higher she 
mounted, the fainter became the heavenly harmony, 
till finally both entirely ceased. 

Many more examples could be brought forward 
on this subject ; but these will suffice to show how 
peaceful, sweet, and happy is the death of the just. 
True, all do not receive these sensible signs of pre- 
destination ; but all are children of God ; death for 
all, is the term of their labors, the beginning of 
their recompense ; and all at death are strengthened 
by grace and the testimony of a good conscience. 
Thus, the glorious St. Ambrose comforted himself, 



256 THIRD DAY. 

sayiug : I have not lived so as to have any reason 
to be sorry that I was ever born ; nor am I afraid 
to die^ because I have a good Master. If such 
graces and favors seem incredible^ let us reflect on 
the goodness of God, which leads Him to love and 
honor the good, and we shall not call it in question. 
For, since this infinitely good God has stooped so 
low as to take human flesh and die upon a cross for 
the love of man, it is not astonishing that He con- 
soles at death, those whose salvation cost Him so 
dear ; nor should we be surprised that He honors 
them with His favors during their life, if, after 
their death. He is to receive them into His ever- 
lasting dwelling and make them participants of 
His glory. 

Consider, then, attentively what this good is, to 
the acquisition of which I invite you : think whether 
you would have any reason to repent, should you 
purchase it at the cost of the whole world. The 
only cause why the wicked do not appreciate it, is, 
that they are ignorant of its value. Hence, the 
Saviour of the world says, that the kingdom of 
heaven is like to a hidden treasure. It is, indeed, a 
real treasure, but hidden from the eyes of others, 
known only to him who possesses it. Therefore, 
nothing can serve as a key to open this treasure; 
for all that mortal tongue is able to express, falls 
far short of what it truly is. The true key, there- 
fore, is the divine light, experience, and the practice 
of virtue. Pray to our Lord, and you will discover 



EEADING FOR THE MOBNlNG. 257 

this treasure ; you will find God, Himself, in whom 
all goods are contained. You will then perceive 
with how much reason the Prophet said : "Blessed 
is the people whose Lord is their God ; for what 
can be wanting to him who is in possession of this 
good ? '' 

O blind and senseless men, what are you doing ? 
whither are you going? what are you seeking? 
why do you leave the fountain of Paradise for the 
muddy streams of the world? Why do you not 
follow the salutary advice of the Scripture? Taste 
and see how sweet is the Lord. Try this, at least, 
once ; have confidence in the word of God ; commence 
courageously, and at each step in the path that leads 
to heaven, you will find your doubts and illusions 
dispersed. 

With what joy did that man of the gospel 
{SL Matth, xiir.) sell all his possessions, to purchase 
the field in w^hich he found a treasure ! Will the 
Christian, then, who has heard of the value of this 
treasure do nothing to secure it ? How aston- 
ishing ! If an im poster should affirm that a great 
treasure was concealed in some part of your house, 
you could not resist the desire to search in order to 
ascertain if there was any truth in his words; and 
yet, when the infallible word of God assures you 
that you will find a treasure within your own soul, 
you have not the courage to seek for it ! Oh ! if you 
knew how precious is this treasure ! if you knew 
how important it is for you to search for it ! Oh ! 
17 



258 THIRD DAY. 

that you could understand how near is God to those 
who call upon Him in truth ! 



Third Reading. 

Common Bules^ chapter ni. 



Fourth Reading. 

Considerations to excite a Penitent to Contrition. 

(From the Writings of Father Granada.) 

To excite in your soul a lively sorrow, you 
should place before you the whole course of your 
lifC; and represent to your conscience all the sins 
with which you have, for so long a time, defiled it ; 
and consider the ill-use you have made of so many 
graces received from God. And, as sin is a turning 
away from the Sovereign Good, and from the end 
for which man was created, consider attentively 
what this end is, and you will clearly perceive how 
widely you have departed from it. If you reflect 
for what end God created you, and at the same time 
examine the end you have had in view, you will 
see how opposed you have lived to the designs of 
God. He created you for Himself, that you might 
employ your understanding, your memory, and 
your will in His service, placing all your love and 
trust in Him ; but, on the contrary, unmindful of 



HEADING FOR THE EVENING. 259 

these obligations, you have, with base ingratitude, 
made use of all these gifts to serve the world and to 
gain the love of creatures. You have loved the 
world, you have placed your hope and delight 
therein ; and thus you have given to created things 
what belongs to their Lord and yours. From these 
reflections, you will see how unfaithful you have 
been to the first of God's commandments, which 
obliges you to love Him ; you will see in what for- 
getfulness of God you have lived, since you have 
scarcely thought of Him during all your life ; you 
will perceive how ungrateful you have been for His 
benefits, since, perhaps, you have never thought of 
returning thanks for them ; you will see the little 
esteem you have had for His commandments, since 
you have so often violated them ; you will perceive 
that you have been continually wanting in love for 
Him, who so merits to be loved, — bestowing your 
affections on trifles. In fine, you will discover that 
you have fallen into such blindness as to give your 
heart to poor worms of earth, having no regard for 
the exalted Majesty of your Creator. 

Having considered the number and quality of 
your sins, reflect also on what they have caused you 
to lose ; by this you will understand how precious 
is the treasure you have forfeited. This reflection 
will, doubtless, excite you to sorrow and repentance ; 
nor would your sorrow be available unless based 
on this motive. St. Chrysostom says that the only 
loss repaired by tears, is that caused by sin. The 



260 THIRD DAY. 

following considerations are calculated to excite you 
to this contrition. 

1. By one mortal sin we lose the grace of the 
Holy Ghost ; — a grace so excellent, that God cannot 
in this life, bestow a greater on any mortal creature ; 
we lose also charity and the love of God, which 
always accompany this grace ; which gift far exceeds 
all the favors of earthly princes so coveted by men. 
By mortal sin, we lose infused virtues and the gifts 
of the Holy Spirit that beautify the soul in the 
sight of God ; that shield and strengthen it against 
the assaults of the demon, although faith and hope 
are not always forfeited. We lose all right to the 
inheritance of heaven flowing from this grace, since 
grace leads to glory ; we lose the gift of spiritual 
adoption, which makes us children of God, giving 
us the hearts of children towards Him ; this loss 
entails the loss of that paternal Providence which 
God exercises over His children. We also lose the 
peace and tranquillity resulting from a good con- 
science. We lose the favors and consolations of the 
Holy Ghost, as also the fruit and merit of all the 
good works performed during life, previous to this 
unfortunate hour ; and with this, all participation 
in the spiritual goods of the Church, which are not 
communicated to the sinner, in the manner in which 
the soul enjoyed them while in the state of grace. 

But among all these losses, the most grievous, 
the most worthy of our tears, is the loss of God ; for 
this loss is the root and source of all others. Think 



BEADING FOE THE EVENING. 261 

of this, O Christians : To lose God, is to cease to 
have God for a Father, a Pastor, a Protector ; it is 
to change this most merciful Father into a declared 
enemy and most severe Judge. This misfortune 
you should bewail with tears of blood ; it was of a 
similar misfortune that the Prophet, Osee, said : 
"Rejoice not, O Israel, as the other nations; re- 
nounce thy pleasures, for thou hast turned away 
from thy God.^^ 

Judge from this, whether they who have lost so 
precious a treasure, should not bitterly lament, see- 
ing that, from the height of glory and riches, tlxey 
have fallen into an abyss of miseries. What sorrow, 
what confusion should overwhelm a soul thus pre- 
cipitated into these calamities ! Open thy eyes, 
wretched soul, says a holy Doctor, and see what 
thou wast, and what thou art now ; where thou 
wast, and where thou art now. Thou wast the 
spouse of the Most High, the temple of the living 
God, the throne of the true Solomon, the seat of 
wisdom ; thou wast the companion of Angels and 
heir of heaven. Such thou wast ; and as many 
times as I say : Thou wast, thou shouldst groan, 
for thou art no longer what thou wast. Weep ; the 
heavens, the Church, the Saints, weep over thee ; St. 
Paul sheds tears, because thou hast sinned and not 
done penance; the Prophets weep, because God's 
wrath is ready to burst upon thee ; Jeremiah sheds 
more tears over thee than he shed over Jerusalem, 
overthrown by the just wrath of Heaven. 



262 THIRD DAY. 

2. If you go farther, and consider the Majesty 
and goodness of that God against whom you have 
sinned, you will find still greater reason to lament. 
It cannot be doubted, that the more exalted the 
person offended, the more grievous is the offense ; 
whence it follows, that if the person be of infinite 
dignity, the offense committed against him acquires 
a gravity, in some measure, infinite. Thus, the 
more deeply you penetrate the immensity of God, 
the more clearly will you discover the malice and 
enormity of sin. Lift up, then, your eyes on high 
and behold, if you can, the exceeding Majesty of 
God ; consider His riches. His dignity. His wisdom, 
His beauty, His glory. His goodness, His benignity, 
and His power ; and, thereby, you will comprehend, 
in some degree, how great a crime it is to have 
offended Him. 

But, among all the perfections of God, that which 
ordinarily affects true penitents, is. His goodness, 
particularly when they have experienced the happy 
effects thereof This goodness is revealed in many 
ways; but in nothing is it so visibly manifested, as 
in the Incarnation and Passion of the Son of God, 
and in the institution of the Holy Sacrament wherein 
He daily offers Himself for us, or gives Himself to 
us by Holy Communion, and establishes His dwell- 
ing among us. God manifests this goodness in a 
remarkable manner towards His elect. He imparts 
to them so many graces, so much joy and consola- 
tion, that human weakness sometimes is unable to 



READING FOR THE EYEJSING. 263 

support the weight thereof. History relates that an 
aged Father of the Desert being one day in prayer, 
cried out : O Lord, restrain a little the torrent of 
Thy consolations ; at another time : Depart from 
me, O Lord, for I cannot support the excess of 
Thy sweetness. These are the favors, the caresses, 
the liberal gifts which the devout are wont to re- 
ceive from the infinite goodness of God. It is not 
astonishing, that our Lord should give them a taste 
of the cup of His consolations, after having drunk 
for them the bitter chalice of His Passion ! 

Therefore, attentively considering this marvelous 
goodness, and, at the same time, calling to mind 
how often he has oflFended against it, has not man 
just reason to bewail, lament, and wish that all the 
members of his body might be converted into as 
many eyes to weep for his sins ? 

3. Besides what we have just said, consider the 
great injury sin does to God, and you will see what 
reason you have to repent of it ; for, as often as you 
sin, you exercise in your heart a sort of judgment, 
most prejudicial to God, although you do not per- 
ceive it. On the one hand, you consider the fruit 
of sin, that is, the pleasure it procures you ; on the 
other, you consider the offense you commit against 
God, by which you lose His friendship ; you then 
put in the balance, God and your interest, and you 
consent to forfeit the favor of God, rather than 
forego this sinful gratification. 



264 THIED DAY. 

Can anythiDg be imagined more horrible, more 
insulting to the Majesty of God, than to choose so 
vile and base a thing in preference to Him ? This 
is to imitate the madness of the Jews, who, when 
called upon to make a choice between Jesus and 
Barabbas, preferred that robber to Jesus Christ ; 
this is to deprive God, as far as in us lies, of the 
glory due to Him as our last End, and give it to 
our interest and pleasure ; for, to set a higher 
esteem on a fleeting gratification than on God Him- 
self, is, undoubtedly, as far as in our power, taking 
dominion from the Creator and giving it to the 
creature : — a crime so great, that God commands 
the heavens to be amazed thereat, saying, by the 
Prophet, Jeremias : '' Be astonished, O ye heavens ! 
and ye gates thereof, be desolate; for my people 
have done two great evils : they have forsaken the 
fountain of living water, and have digged to them- 
selves broken cisterns that hold no water/^ 

Consider, then, how often you have offered this 
insult to God, and tremble. Let your eyes become 
two fountains of tears, to weep day and night for so 
great a disorder. Consider, against whom you Jjave 
sinned, for what you have sinned ; what you have 
lost and what you have gained. Conceive a just 
shame now while there is time ; delay not until you 
be covered with eternal confusion on the day of the 
Lord, — the day of His terrible judgment. 

4. To excite in your soul this detestation of sin, 
consider attentively the hatred that God bears to it. 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 265 

This hatred is so great that no one can fully com- 
prehend it ; if all created understandings were united 
in one, and if all tongues could be made but one, this 
hatred could never be expressed or conceived ; for 
God, who is infinitely good and perfect, has an infi- 
nite love for good and an infinite hatred for evil ; 
hence. He recompenses the one with eternal glory, 
and punishes the other with everlasting torments, 
and with the privation of an infinite good. It is 
also certain, that God hates sin, as it merits to be 
hated ; that is, in proportion to the deformity which 
is in sin ; now, as this deformity is infinite, being 
against a God of infinite majesty, it follows that the 
hatred which God bears to it, is infinite. 

5. The most efficacious means to increase Ihis sor- 
row, is, to meditate on the magnitude and number 
of God^s benefits ; for the more you consider how 
good God has been to you, the greater confusion you 
will experience for having been so ungrateful to 
Him. Remember it is He who created you, who 
redeemed you, who still preserves you ; that, by His 
grace you have been baptized, preserved from many 
dangers, and laden with countless favors. All that 
the heavens include, all that the earth contains, are 
benefits from God ; all the members and senses of 
your body are His gifts ; every moment of your life 
is a favor from His liberal hand. The bread you 
eat, the earth upon which you tread, the sun which 
gives you light, and whatever serves for the preser- 
vation of your life, are presents which He makes 



266 THIRD DAY. 

you. And, finally, to comprise all in one word, all 
the goods of this world are benefits from Him, since 
He created them for you. 

Therefore, should anything afflict you more deeply 
than to have offended God ? that God who has car- 
ried you, as it were, in His arms; whose goodness 
sustains you ; whose spirit has given you life ; who 
warms you by His sun, who governs you by His 
Providence; in whom you live, move, and have 
your being. — That God who, during all your dis- 
orders, never ceased to do you good. Oh ! what 
blindness ! what ingratitude ! thus to repay so many 
benefits ! 

In fine, consider the love of Jesus Christ for you. 
He has shed abundance of tears for you, offered 
many prayers ; suffered many insults, undergone 
many hardships ; received countless affronts, en- 
dured excessive tortures. It is certain that our sins 
crucified Him ; He took them all upon Himself, 
and wished to bear them, partly to satisfy the jus- 
tice of God, and partly to show us how much He 
hates them, since He immolated Himself to expiate 
them. Hence, what cause have you not to melt 
into tears when you consider how often, by your 
sins, you have crucified anew this divine Saviour ! 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 267 



FOURTH DAY. 



First Reading for the Morning. 

Following of Christj Book I. chapter xxv. 



Second Reading. 

Dispositions neGessary for a true Conversion. 

(From the Writings of Father Granada.) 

The first thing to be done by him who is resolved 
to change his life, and consecrate himself to the 
service of God, is to be well penetrated with the 
importance of this undertaking, and to conceive the 
correct idea of it. He must regard it as the most 
serious of all affairs ; as the most precious of treasures, 
as the most useful of sciences ; or rather, as the only 
affair, the only treasure, the only true science. 
*^ Learn, O Israel, where is wisdom, where is strength, 
where is understanding, that thou mayest know also 
where is length of days and of life^ where is the 
light of the eyes and peace. {Baruch iii., 14.). — 
" Let the wise man,^^ says the Lord, '^ not glory in 
his wisdom, and let not the strong man glory in his 
strength, and let not the rich man glory in his 
riches ; but let him that glorieth, glory in this ; that 
he understandeth and knoweth me, for I am the 
Lord.'^ (Jeremias ix., 23, 24.) This is the sum 



268 FOURTH DAY. 

of all goods ; whoever believes himself perfect among 
the children of men, if he has not this knowledge, 
accompanied by virtue, his science and glory are 
vain. 

This all-important affair is recommended in many 
ways in our Holy Books; all creatures in heaven 
and on earth invite us to it; all laws, human and 
divine, prescribe it ; we are exhorted thereto by the 
teachings of the Church and by the example of 
countless Saints who, illumined from above, con- 
ceived such contempt for the world, and so great a 
love for virtue, that many among them suflPered the 
most cruel tortures rather than oflFend God and 
incur His displeasure even for one moment. In 
fine, all the considerations which we have advanced, 
oblige us to undertake this affair ; for all proclaim 
the excellence thereof. Each of these motives, 
attentively considered, would suffice to convince us 
of the importance of this affair ; what power, con- 
sequently, would not the union of these motives 
have, to convince him who is resolved to undertake 
it, of the greatness, of the glory of this enterprise ; 
and make him understand how just and reasonable 
it is to apply thereto with all possible zeal and ardor. 

This is the first principle, or, rather the first dis- 
position with which we should be penetrated, in 
order to engage successfully in this important 
business. 

After considering the greatness and importance of 
this enterprise, the second thing which you ought to 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 269 

do, 18, to arm your heart with generous courage 
against the obstacles and combats to which you may 
be subjected; convinced that you could not pur- 
chase at too dear a rate, the glory of succeeding in 
so noble a design. Moreover, is not every great 
undertaking attended by difficulties? You must, 
then, in your first steps in this career, expect that 
hell will assail you with all its force, and employ 
against you all the means at its disposal. The flesh, 
a slave of pleasure, corrupted in all its inclinations 
by the mortal venom of the old serpent, will inces- 
santly entice you, recalling to your mind past enjoy- 
ments ; bad habits, no less powerful than nature 
itself, will seek to oppose this change in your life, 
exaggerating the difiiculties of it : these indeed, are 
great ; for, to induce a man to adopt a mode of life 
directly opposed to that which, by long habit, has 
become second nature, is, in some measure, to seek 
to change the course of an impetuous river. You 
will also find the world, like a cruel and powerful 
beast, endeavoring sometimes, to force you by its 
example, and dazzle you by the deceitful splendor 
of its vanities and false pleasures ; sometimes, to 
vanquish you by the persecutions and ridicule of the 
wicked. To these enemies will be added another 
infinitely more formidable, the most crafty, the 
most ancient, the most dangerous corrupter of men : 
the demon will assail you with all the cruelty he is 
accustomed to exercise against those who are newly 
converted. 



270 FOURTH DAY. 

These are your enemies ; learn to know them ; 
expect to meet them at every step, that you may not 
be surprised by their attacks, as if unsuspected. Call 
to mind the warning of the Wise Man : '' Son, when 
thou comest to the service of God, stand in justice 
and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation 
{Ecdi. 11., 1)/^ Do not suppose, therefore, that we 
invite you to banquets, to sports and pleasures ; oh ! 
no ; we summon you to clothe yourself with sword 
and buckler to fight the battles of the Lord. You 
can, it is true, rely upon numerous and powerful 
helps ; however, we must not conceal from you that 
the beginning is hard and acccompanied with serious 
diflSculties ; you must anticipate them, that you may 
not be surprised when they appear before you ; but, 
be convinced, that what eiForts soever you will be 
obliged to make, how heavy soever be the trials you 
will have to endure; the crown for which you fight, 
merits still more on your part. 

But the aspect of so many enemies must not cast 
you into discouragement ; if vice has its auxiliaries, 
virtue also has its support. You have divine grace 
to oppose to corrupt nature ; God, to the demon, 
good habits, to bad customs ; heavenly spirits, to 
the fallen angels ; salutary examples and the exhor- 
tations of the Saints, to bad example and the per- 
secutions of the wicked ; the chaste delights and the 
consolations of the Holy Spirit, to the pleasures of 
the world : consequently, you can fight with great 
advantage. Against each of your enemies you have 



BEADING FOR THE MORNING. 271 

means of defense incomparably more powerful ; 
what can nature do against grace ? the demon 
against the Most High ? hell against heaven ? 
what are the pleasures of the senses compared 
with the delights of the spirit ? 

After being well penetrated with these two dis- 
positions, the first thing the newly-converted should 
do, is, to establish himself in the firm resolution 
never to commit mortal sin. This new disposition 
is the foundation of virtue ; this it is that secures to 
us the friendship, the grace of God, and the right 
to the kingdom of heaven ; this makes us children 
of God, temples of the Holy Ghost, living members 
of Jesus Christ; and, with all these titles, confers 
on us the right to share in all the goods of the 
Church. As long as the soul preserves this good 
purpose, she is in sanctifying grace, in the state of 
salvation ; but, as soon as she discards it, she is 
blotted out from the book of life ; she is registered 
on the book of perdition, and relegated to the king- 
dom of darkness. 

Hence, the holy Martyrs endured the most cruel 
tortures rather than commit one mortal sin, and 
thus forfeit, in a moment, the grace and friendship 
of God. They were well aware that, in repenting 
immediately after their sin, they could, like St. 
Peter, obtain pardon for it ; but, to be in disgrace 
with their God was, in their eyes, so great a mis- 
fortune, that they preferred to suffer all the tor- 



272 FOURTH DAY. 

ments of the world^ rather than to incur it for even 
one instant. 

Among these examples, the most remarkable 
found in the Old Testament, is the mother of the 
Machabees ; and, in the Xew, Felicita and Sjmpho- 
rosa, mothers of seven children. These admirable 
women assisted at the martyrdom of their sons; 
they beheld them torn to pieces ; but, far from los- 
ing courage at this sorrowful spectacle, they sus- 
tained and animated that of their children ; exhort- 
ing them to die generously for the faith, and happy 
to mingle their own blood with that of their sons 
in so holy a cause. 

Consider to what an extent the Saints carried 
their horror for sin. How many proofs of this we 
might bring forward, if we examined their lives ! 
Here,we see them rolling among thorns and briars ; 
again, burying themselves under heaps of snow ; at 
another time, plunging into frozen ponds ; — all this, 
to extinguish the heat of the flesh excited by the 
enemy of their purity. 

Let him who wishes to walk in the path which 
we have pointed out, endeavor to strengthen this 
good purpose in his soul; in order, that justly 
appreciating the friendship of God, he may place 
it above all worldly advantages, and be ready gen- 
erously, to sacrifice everything, if necessary, to pre- 
serve so precious a treasure. Let this disposition 
be as the pivot, the soul of his life, the chief end of 
all his actions : that in the prayers he will address 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 273 

to God, in the frequentation of the Sacraments, in 
hearing the word of God ; in his spiritual readings, 
in the contemplation of the wonders of creation ; in 
his meditations on the suiferings and death of Jesus 
Christ and on the benefits of God ; — that, in all 
things, he may have in view to obtain and strengthen 
in his heart the desire, the resolution, never more 
to offend a God who has so many claims to his love. 
Let him judge of his progress in virtue by the 
advancement he will have made in this holy dis- 
position and in the salutary fear of sin. 

He who seeks to drive a nail firmly into a piece 
of wood, is not content to give one, two, or three 
strokes of the hammer ; he strikes until he is wear- 
ied. Be not satisfied with some slight efforts to 
establish this good purpose in your heart ; labor 
constantly and without relaxation for this end ; 
profit by every occasion that presents itself. Whether 
you read or meditate-; in all you see and hear, have 
always in view to increase in the love of God and 
in horror for sin : the progress you will make on 
the one hand, will be in exact proportion to that 
which you will have made on the other. 

To give more solidity to this twofold sentiment, 
be persuaded, and firmly believe that all the calami- 
ties, all the scourges that have desolated the world 
since the creation ; that all the torments of the rep- 
robate united, are an evil infinitely less grievous, 
less frightful, than a single mortal sin. This, doubt- 
less, is neither the opinion nor the practice of those 
18 



wmtm 



274 FOURTH DAY. 

who live in the darkness of Egypt ; but^ is it aston- 
ishing that the blind see not, that the dead feel 
not ? of what consequence to the one is the extent 
of an object, or to the other, that the blow be 
deadly? 

It is all-important to observe, that in the struggle 
upon which you enter, you have not to fight against 
flesh and blood, but against demons, spiritual ene- 
mies ; consequently, you should not rely upon the 
strength of arm or the fleetness of fool, but upon the 
attention and clear-sightedness of the eyes. The 
primary cause of all sin, is error, the illusion of the 
understanding, which directs the will. Hence, our 
enemies, in order to pervert the will, seek to pervert 
the understanding which guides it. For this pur- 
pose they clothe evil with the appearance of good ; 
present vice under the image of virtue, and so dis- 
guise their suggestions as to give them the semblance 
of a lawful right, rather than- a diabolical tempta- 
tion. If they excite us to avarice, anger, and thoughts 
of revenge, they strive to convince us that nothing 
is more reasonable than what we desire; that it 
would be folly to entertain other sentiments. They 
screen themselves under the mask of reason, that 
they may more easily seduce those who have at 
heart to obey its dictates and conform to its pre- 
scriptions. Man, therefore, must have his eyes con- 
stantly open, and watchful to detect the hook under 
the bait, and not allow himself to be surprised by a 
false appearance of good. 



• BEADING FOR THE MORNING. 275 

We have shown that^ in the first place, you must 
avoid all mortal sin ; but this is not saying that you 
can allow yourself the liberty of committing venial 
sins ; far from it. Be on your guard against this, I 
conjure you ; avoid imitating those relaxed souls 
who yield without scruple, without hesitation, to 
faults that seem light. Remember that : " He who 
despises small faults will soon fall into great ones." 
Bear in mind the proverb : For a nail, one loses a 
shoe; for a shoe, a horse, for a horse, a rider. Behold 
these houses overthrown ; their ruin commenced by 
a few drops of rain. Remember that if, in all truth, 
it can be said, that neither six, nor six thousand 
venial sins could make a single mortal sin ; St. 
Augustine also says, in all truth : Despise not venial 
sins because they are light, but fear them because 
they are many. Animalcules, almost imperceptible, 
sometimes cause death to men when their number 
is great. What is smaller than a grain of sand ? 
and yet, load a vessel with grains of sand and it will 
instantly sink. What is less than a drop of water ? 
and, nevertheless, drops of water form large rivers 
and impetuous torrents which overthrow the most 
solid edifices. St. Augustine does not pretend to say 
that many venial sins can constitute a mortal sin ; 
but they lead to it, and often place the soul in the 
danger of falling into it. This is an incontestable 
truth ; hence, St. Gregory says : '' Small faults are, 
in one sense, more dangerous than great ones ; because, 
being in no illusion with regard to the enormity of 



276 FOURTH DAY. 

the one, a man is more likely to correct ; whereas, 
making little account of the others, he falls into 
them more frequently, and commits them with less 
repugnance and remorse/^ 

Finally, venial sin, how small soever it be, ceases 
not to be prejudicial to the soul. It extinguishes 
the fervor of piety, troubles peace of conscience, 
cools the ardor of charity; enervates the heart, 
weakens the spiritual life ; and, to a certain degree, 
resists the Holy Spirit, by placing an obstacle to 
His divine operations. Let us, then, zealously 
struggle against it ; the weakest enemy, when neg- 
lected, may become dangerous and c^use death. 



Third Reading. 

Common Bulesy chapter rv. 



Fourth Reading. 

On Heaven. 

(From the Writings of Father Granada.) 

Any one of the considerations which we have 
proposed, should suffice to lead us to the love of 
virtue ; but the heart of man is so hard, that very 
often he resists the force of all these truths. I shall, 
then, add here another motive no less powerful than 
the preceding, namely : the joy and the magnitude 
of the reward promised to virtue, in the possession 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 277 

of the glory of Heaven ; in this we have two re- 
markable things to consider : one is the beauty of 
the place, which is the empyreal Heaven, and the 
other, the glory of the King who resides there with 
all his elect. 

For what regards the beauty of the place, although 
no tongue is able to express it, we shall endeavor to 
conceive some idea of it. The first thing to be con- 
sidered, is the end for which this excellent abode was 
created ; for, generally, the means of ascertaining the 
worth of a thing, is to inquire into the design of it. 
The design of this place is to manifest God's glory. 
And, although, as Solomon says, the Lord has made 
all things for Himself, it is evident, nevertheless, 
that He particularly created this place for this end, 
because in it, He manifests the splendor of His 
glory. Therefore, as the great king Assuerus, who 
formerly reigned over one hundred and twenty-seven 
provinces, made with all imaginable pomp, a solemn 
feast in the city of Suza, which feast lasted one 
hundred and four-score days, to let his subjects see 
how rich and powerful he was ; so, this Almighty 
King was pleased to make a solemn feast, not for 
a hundred and four-score days, but for all eternity, 
to manifest the immensity of His riches. Isaias 
speaks of this feast when he says : The Lord will 
make on this mountain, a banquet for all peoples ; a 
feast of wines and delicate meats ; that is to say, of 
the most delicious viands. But, if God has pre- 
pared this banquet to make known the greatness 



278 FOURTH DAY. 

of His glory^ we must needs believe, that, since 
this glory is so great, the magnificence of the place 
in which it will be displayed, must be proportionate 
to this glory. 

We shall be better qualified to judge of the 
beauty of this happy abode, if we consider the 
power and riches of the Lord who has chosen it for 
His dwelling. With a single word He created the 
whole world out of nothing, and one word would 
be sufficient to destroy it. Nay, with one word, 
God could create not only one world, but millions 
of them ; and, with another, annihilate them. And 
what is far more wonderful. He has made all that 
He has fashioned, without the least trouble ; nor 
was it more difficult for Him to create the noblest 
Seraph, than to form the smallest insect; because 
His infinite power can do all it wills, and accom- 
plish all it pleases, by His will alone. 

But, if the power of God is so great; if His Name 
is so glorious ; if He has a love for this glory pro- 
portioned to its greatness, what must be the beauty 
of the place of which He has made choice for the 
manifestation of it in all its splendor? What could 
be wanting to the Architect in order to bring this 
work to perfection? Power? — He is infinitely 
powerful; wisdom? — He is infinitely wise; will? — 
He is infinitely good ; wealth ? — He is infinitely 
rich. What, then, I ask, could be wanting to the 
beauty of a work in which infinite Perfection de- 
sired to manifest Himself in full ? This work was 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 279 

accomplished by the omnipotence of the Father, by 
the wisdom of the Son, by the goodness of the 
Holy Spirit; in it, love commands, wisdom ordains, 
and omnipotence executes the desires of love and 
the plans of an infinite Intelligence. 

There is another important consideration to be 
made on this subject, which is, that God has pre- 
pared this superb place not only for His own honor, 
but also, for the glory of His elect. Let us observe, 
I beg you, how solicitous God is to honor them and 
to accomplish what he has promised. This plainly 
appears from His actions, since, even in this mortal 
life. He has subjected all things in this world to 
their dominion. How wonderful was the authority 
of Joshua, when he commanded the sun to stand still 
in the midst of its course ! Does it not seem that he 
held in his hands the reins that govern the world, 
thus to command this luminary? God, as the Scrip- 
ture says, obeying the voice of man. How great 
was the power of the Prophet Isaias, when he pro- 
posed to King Ezechias, either to have the sun go 
forward ten degrees upon the dial, or backward, 
both being equally easy to him ! How astonishing, 
also, the power of the Prophet Elias, when he shut 
up the waters and the clouds of heaven as long as 
he thought fit; and, at another time, commanded 
them, by the power of his word, to pour down 
their rain ! 

Nor is it only during the lifetime of the Saints 
that God is pleased to give them such power; He 



280 FOURTH DAY. 

continues the same even after their death ; He con- 
fers it on their very bones and ashes. Who can 
forbear praising God when he reads that the bones of 
the Prophet Elisha^ had the power to restore to life 
a dead man who had accidentally been thrown by 
robbers into his grave ! Who will deny that God 
bestows great favors upon his Saints, since, on the 
day St. Clement was martyred, the sea opened for 
three miles, to give passage to those who wished to 
behold the relics of this glorious champion of Christ! 
God desires that the whole Churcli should celebrate 
a feast in honor of St. Peter's Chains, that we may 
understand how much He esteems the bodies of His 
Saints, since He commands us to pay such solemn 
respect to the very fetters that bound them in prison. 

If we consider, on the one hand, that Heaven is 
the universal reward for the services of all the 
Saints; and on the other, how magnificent our 
Lord is in His gifts, how wonderful must the 
splendor of this glory be ! It is an abyss which 
we cannot fathom. 

Consider the price God has set on the glory of 
Heaven. After the commission of sin. He required 
nothing less than the Blood and death of His only 
Son ; so that by the death of a God, the life of 
grace has been given to man ; by the tribulations 
of a God, true consolations have been accorded to 
man ; and, because God has been fastened to the 
Cross between two thieves, man has been honored 
with a place among the choirs of Angels. How 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 281 

excellent, then, must be this treasure, since to 
purchase it, God suffered a bloody sweat, was 
scourged, buffeted, covered with spits, and nailed 
to the Cross ! O God, so generous, so magnificent 
in Thy rewards, what wilt Thou give at such a 
cost? Could we but fathom this abyss, we might 
comprehend more clearly the greatness of eternal 
glory. 

And yet, besides this, God requires on the part 
of maUj great sacrifices in order to attain Heaven. 
He commands him to take up his cross ; to pluck 
out his right eye should it scandalize him ; to have 
no concern for his father and mother, nor for any- 
thing in the world, be it what it may, if it conflict 
with the observance of His commandments. And 
when we have faithfully accomplished all that is 
ordained, and all that depends on us, He tells us 
that we must hope for this glory only as a pure 
favor, so much does its value surpass the merit of 
our works ! For this reason He says in St. John : 
^^I am the Beginning and the End of all things; 
to him that thirsteth, I will give of the fountain of 
the water of life, free cost.^^ 

How great must this recompense be, when God 
requires so high a price for it ; and yet, when we 
have given Him all we have, He tells us, that He 
gives it to us for nothing. 

We may also form some idea of this glory from 
the situation and elevation of the place in which it 
is manifested ; this is the empyreal Heaven : the 



282 FOURTH DAY. 

most capacious, the noblest creation. It is called in 
Scripture the land of the living ; whence we are to 
infer that the land we now inhabit, is the land of 
the dying. If, nevertheless, in this land of the 
dying there are so many beautiful and precious 
things, what incomprehensible treasures must be 
found where men are to live eternally ! Let us 
consider, then, that the place in which we dwell, is 
the land of the dying ; the other, that of the living ; 
the one is the abode of sinners, the other, of the just ; 
the one is the habitation of men, the other, that of 
Angels ; the one is a place for penitents, the other, 
for those who are justified ; the one is a battlefield, 
the other, the city of triumph. In fine, the one 
includes both friends and enemies, and the other, 
only friends and the elect. 

But, if the difference between the inhabitants of 
these two places is so great, what a difference there 
must be between the places themselves ; for God 
has made them suitable to the quality of those for 
whom they are destined. Glorious things are said 
of thee, O City of God ! Thou art boundless in thy 
extent, most stately in thy structure, most precious 
in the material of which thou art made ; most noble 
by the dignity of thy iuhabitants, most agreeable in 
thy delights, most rich in all treasures, exempt from 
all evil. 

What we have hitherto said, regards the acci- 
dental glory of the Saints ; but, there is another 
kind of glory, far transcending this ; namely, their 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 283 

essential glory. This consists in the vision and 
enjoyment of God^ Himself. St. Augustine speaks 
of this glory when he says : That the reward of 
virtue is God^ Himself, whom we shall love without 
satiety^ whom we shall see for all eternity^ and 
whom we shall praise without ever being weary. 
So that this recompense is the greatest we can con- 
ceive ; it is not Heaven, nor earth, nor any created 
being, but God, Himself; who, although infinitely 
simple, yet contains within Himself all possible 
goods. 

To comprehend this, we must know that one of 
the greatest mysteries of this divine substance, is, 
that while it is most simple, it comprises within 
itself, in an infinite degree, the perfections of all 
creatures ; for God, having made them all and con- 
ducted them to their last end, has necessarily in 
Himself what He gives to others. Whence it fol- 
lows, that all the blessed shall possess and behold 
all things in God ; each one, however, in a degree 
proportioned to the glory he enjoys. For, as crea- 
tures now serve as a mirror in which we perceive 
some rays of God's beauty ; so God, Himself, will 
then be the mirror wherein we shall see the beauty 
of creatures, but far more perfectly than if we saw 
them in themselves. Thus, God will be the uni- 
versal happiness of the Saints, their perfect felicity, 
and the accomplishment of all their desires. He 
will there be a mirror to our eyes, music to our 
ears, sweetness even to our taste, and a most pleas- 



284 FOURTH DAY. 

ing perfume to our sense of smell. In Him, says 
St. Bernard, we shall find fulness of light for our 
understanding, abundance of peace for our will, and 
the plenitude of eternity for our memory. 

If beauty charms you, the beauty of God eclipses 
that of the sun. If you seek after nobility, He is 
the source and origin of all that is noble. If you 
wish a long life, He is life everlasting. If you 
desire plenty, He is the fulness of all riches. If 
you love music and charming voices, the Angels 
are continually singing in His presence. If you 
pine for company and social intercourse, you will 
there have the company of all the Blessed who have 
but one heart and one soul. If you aspire to honors 
and wealth, you will find them in the House of 
God. Finally, if you wish to be freed from all 
afflictions, you will there be happily delivered from 
them. 

To all these advantages must be added, the 
happiness of living in the company of the Angels, 
of enjoying the presence of these sublime Intelli- 
gences ; of seeing these noble troops of Saints more 
resplendent than the stars of heaven : The Patri- 
archs will there shine in glory, for their obedience ; 
the Prophets, for their hope; the Martyrs will be 
adorned with crowns dyed in their blood, and Vir- 
gins will be clothed in white robes, in token of 
their purity. But what tongue can worthily extol 
the Sovereign Monarch who resides in the midst of 
these glorious Saints ! Were we every day to suffer 



EEADING FOB THE EVENING. 285 

new torments ; nay, should we undergo, for a time, 
the pains of hell ; would we consider this too heavy 
a cost to purchase the happiness of contemplating 
the Lord in His glory, and enjoying the happy 
company of His elect ? 

Happy, a thousand times happy, the eyes destined 
to behold the beauty of this magnificent City, the 
glory of these illustrious citizens, the splendor of 
these buildings, the riches of these palaces, and the 
common joy of this heavenly country ! What a 
happiness to behold the Orders of these blessed 
Spirits and the authority of this sacred Senate ; the 
majesty of these venerable Elders whom St. John 
saw seated on thrones in the presence of God ! 
What happiness to hear these Angelic voices, these 
exquisite singers and this harmonious music, not in 
four parts like that here below, but in as many 
parts and of as many different voices, as there are 
blessed souls in Heaven ! How delightful to hear 
that ravishing canticle which the same St. John 
once heard in a divine ecstasy : " Benediction and 
glory, and wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and 
strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen! ^^ 

What a happiness to behold these beautiful fields, 
these fountains of life, and these pastures on the 
mountains of Israel ! What a glorious thing it will 
be to sit down at this divine banquet, to be num- 
bered among so many illustrious guests ; to eat at 
the table of God, Himself; that is, to share in His 
glory and felicity ! There, the blessed will be at 



286 FOURTH DAY. 

rest and have full enjoyment of eternal bliss ; there 
they will sing^ praising God, and will find them- 
selves at every moment, immersed in the most 
delightful pleasures. Now, if faith promises these 
great blessings as a reward of virtue ; who could be 
so blind as not to resolve to practise it, in the hope 
of so glorious a recompense ? 



REABING FOR THE MORNING. 287 



FIFTH DAY. 



First Reading for the Morning. 

Following of Christy Book I. chapter i. 



Second Reading. 

On the Imitation of our Lord, and on some Virtues 
not included in the Subjects of the Retreat 

(From the Writings of Father Granada.) 

As there are some persons who, not content with 
doing all they believe necessary for their salvation, 
wish to go farther and perfect themselves in piety, 
by the practice of the most exalted virtues, it is but 
just to assist them. 

I shall, therefore, propose as the first precept I 
have to give them, and as the object of the doctrine 
which I wish to engrave upon their hearts, these 
words of our Saviour : '' I have given you the ex- 
ample, that you may do as I have done.^^ For, as a 
competent writing-master, eager to perfect his pupils, 
places before them the most beautiful specimens of 
penmanship, that by imitating them they may form 
their hand ; so, wishing to give you the form of a 
holy and Christian life, I deem it necessary to go to 
the original, and place before you Jesus Christ, Him- 
self, the Master of all virtues ; all that He said and 



288 FIFTH DAY. 

performed during His life, was not only a remedy 
for our ills, but also an example for us to imitate. 
It is well known, that effects are all the more per- 
fect, as they approach nearer to the perfection of 
their causes, and more closely resemble them. As 
the perfection of a disciple consists in closely re- 
sembling his master, so all the perfection of the 
creature, is in the Imitation of his Creator, becom- 
ing, as far as possible, like unto Him. Although 
this perfect Imitation cannot be attained, we must 
aspire after it. The Holy Scripture invites us fre- 
quently to this Imitation : '^ Be ye holy,^^ it says in 
one place, ^^ as I am holy.'^ And again : " Be mer- 
ciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.^' And 
elsewhere : '' Be ye perfect, as your heavenly Father 
is perfect.'^ 

Since, then, all the perfection of the creature con- 
sists in imitating his Creator ; since we must first 
see what we intend to imitate ; and, since no one 
can see God during this life, in His nature and 
glory ; the Son of God was so exceedingly gracious, 
as to vouchsafe to clothe Himself with our flesh, 
that we might behold Him whom we are to imitate. 
He took the form of a servant, that we might see 
in what manner He conversed with men on earth ; 
how He spoke, to what works He applied Himself; 
how He conducted Himself in the good or evil that 
befell Him ; in solitude or in company ; with His 
friends or with His enemies ; with the high and 
with the lowly ; and, in fine, that we might perceive 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 289 

the excellence of His virtues : His charity, His 
humility, His patience, His obedience, His meek- 
ness, His fasting. His poverty. His zeal for souls ; 
His love for His neighbor; His severity towards 
Himself, His tenderness and condescension towards 
others. This was one of the principal causes that 
brought Him into the world : God was pleased to 
become man, that man might become God ; that 
he might learn to live as God, not only for having 
heard of God, but for having seen Him ; not only 
through the force of God^s word, but through the 
efficacy of His example. And this, a great Prophet 
several ages before, had declared, saying : '' Thy 
eyes shall see thy Teacher, and thy ears shall hear 
the voice of one calling thee to the path which thou 
hadst forsaken : This is the way, walk in it, and 
go not aside, either to the right hand or to the left.'^ 
By the manifestation of this great mystery, our ears 
have not only heard the doctrine of God, but our 
eyes have also seen His Person ; that is, they have 
seen the Word made Flesh. Thus, the greater con- 
formity you have with Jesus Christ in all His 
virtues, the more perfect you will be. This is what 
the Spirit of God, who resides in the just, intends 
to effect. A great Doctor has said, that no painter 
takes so much care to make a picture perfectly like 
to the original, as Almighty God does to render all 
His elect like to Jesus Christ Crucified ; knowing 
it to be the greatest perfection and the highest glory 
that can be acquired in this life. 
19 



290 FIFTH DAY. 

But you will, perhaps, say : How can I imitate 
the Sou of God ? I am man, and He is God ; I am 
an abyss of misery, and He is an abyss of virtue ; 
how can I raise myself to the Imitation of so won- 
derful a purity ? Your doubt is reasonable ; and 
indeed, a frail and mortal man cannot of himself 
attain this resemblance ; but, by the power of God's 
Spirit dwelling within him, he may approach it. 
This Spirit was given to man in order to produce 
this admirable effect. By virtue of this divine 
Spirit man can lead a divine life, doing the works 
not of men, but of God, since he has the Spirit of God. 
It would not be impossible for a man to speak like 
Cicero, if he had the spirit of Cicero ; nor for another 
to reason like Aristotle, if he had the spirit of Aris- 
totle. So, it is not impossible for a man to imitate 
the virtues of God, when he has received the Spirit 
of God. It is not rare to see things participate of 
the nature of those with which they are joined. In- 
sipid food seasoned with salt, will become savory; 
preserved with sugar, sweet ; and dressed with 
perfumes and spices, odoriferous : in like manner, 
a man becomes participant of the divine nature, if 
he is animated by the Holy Spirit. Our Lord explains 
both cases when He says : " That which is born of 
the flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit 
is spirit." By this He plainly declared, that it was 
not possible for the flesh of itself to be anything but 
flesh ; but that it was not impossible for it to become 



I 



EEADING FOR THE MORNING. 291 

spirit, if it were assisted by the power and presence 
of the divine Spirit. 

From the influence of this Spirit, as from a 
heavenly seed, the children of God are born ; and, 
therefore, it is not astonishing if, as children, they 
resemble their Father, and lead a divine life, since 
they have received the divine Spirit, as St. Paul 
teaches in these words : '^ We, who have the honor 
of being Christians, having the veil taken from our 
face ; and receiving into our souls, as in a glass, the 
brightness of God, are transformed into the image 
of God, through the operation of His Spirit.^' Nor 
need we be surprised that David, addressing the 
just, says to them : " I have said, ye are gods, 
and all of you are the sons of the Most High,'^ 
since they participate in His Spirit and resemble 
Him. 

Can any one be astonished that man should be 
raised to this dignity, since it is a grace bestowed 
by the Son of God who came down from Heaven 
to impart it to us. He vouchsafed to humble Him- 
self so far as to become man, that man, who was 
corrupted, might become divine; not by nature, 
but by grace. Thus He would, in one respect, be 
the cause of all perfection by His example, since 
He represented in His own most holy life the image 
of a perfect life ; and, in another, He would be the 
cause of all merit, since by the merit of His Incar- 
nation and the sacrifice of the Cross, He acquired 
for all men so sublime a state. 



292 FIFTH DAY. 

Eeceive, then, and faithfully preserve in your 
heart, this first precept for the direction of your 
life. To this the Apostle, St. Peter, invites you, 
when he says : ^^ Christ suffered for us, leaving us 
an example that we may follow His steps.^^ St. 
John recommends the same by these words : " He 
that abideth in Jesus Christ ought even so, to walk 
as Jesus Christ hath walked.'^ 

But as this precept is general, it will be proper to 
treat of the virtues in particular, and to explain the j| 
use and practice of them. ^ 

Hope is a virtue which you should highly cherish, 
being the sister of Charity : by means of hope, you 
regard God as your Father, and have for Him the 
heart of a child ; for, as there is no good on earth 
which, being compared to God, deserves to be called 
good ; so there is no father in this world who has 
for his children such tenderness and charity, as our 
heavenly Father manifests for those whom He has 
vouchsafed to adopt as His children. Be convinced 
that whatever befalls you in this world, whether 
good or evil, prosperous or adverse, is for your good, 
since the smallest bird falls not into the net but by 
God^s permission. Thus, in all the accidents of life, 
have recourse to Him with confidence ; lay before 
Him your troubles, relying upon His liberality 
which is incalculable ; on His promises which are 
faithful ; on the benefits you have received from 
Him as so many pledges of His bounty ; but rely, 
particularly, on the merits of His Son which He 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 293 

has made over to us ; hope firmly that He will 
have compassion on yoii^ though you are sinful 
and miserable ; believe that He will powerfully 
assist you by means unknown to you, and in the 
hour you least expect ; and that He will turn all 
things to your good. And, to render yourself 
worthy of His favors, have always in your mind, 
and often on your lips, these words of David : ^' I 
am needy and poor, but the Lord is careful for me/^ 

The Psalms, the Prophecies, and the Gospels, 
encourage us continually to place our hope in this 
divine Providence. Exercise yourself, then, in this 
virtue, and you will see that your heart will find 
itself insensibly strengthened thereby, not only to 
suffer patiently, but even to expect your salvation 
from the afflictions and trials it may please God to 
send you. Be assured, that until you have acquired 
this confidence, you will never enjoy true peace or 
repose of mind ; without it, all things will afflict 
you and cast you into trouble and vexation ; but 
with it, nothing should disquiet you, since you have 
God on your side, and His promises cannot fail you. 

I exhort you also, to the love of silence ; this is 
called the mother of innocence, the key of discre- 
tion, the safeguard of devotion, the faithful com- 
panion of chastity, and the ornament of youth. To 
exercise yourself properly therein, never permit 
any word to proceed from your mouth which may 
wound your neighbor. Never give ear to detractors ; 
but, on the contrary, employ all the prudence which 



294 FIFTH DAY. 

God will have given you, to break off such dis- 
courses. Let your speech be always free from 
flattery in speaking of others, and from vanity in 
speaking of yourself. Avoid all asperity in your 
language ; endeavor, on the contrary, to make it as 
sweet and affable as possible; shun artifice; let 
your discourse be simple and sincere, as becomes 
true children of Jesus Christ. Never utter idle 
words, because God will demand of you an account 
of them in the day of judgment ; but especially 
refrain from raillery, because it easily wounds others. 
But the two most dangerous rocks which you should 
fear, are : speaking well of yourself, and ill of your 
neighbor. To avoid these dangers, speak little. If 
you can be silent, without prejudice to charity or 
obedience, willingly hold your peace ; let not your 
silence, however, be disedifying to any one ; but, 
when you are obliged to speak, say only what is 
necessary or useful. 

Learn also, to suffer, without murmur or com- 
plaint, the injuries, contempt, calumnies, and afflic- 
tions which God may permit ; believing that these 
evils befall you through His ever just and ever 
merciful Providence; conceive no indignation or 
hatred against those from whom you receive them ; 
but, on the contrary, after the example of your 
divine Master, be gentle and courteous towards 
them. 

Be not troubled at the calamities happening in the 
world ; but trust in God^s Providence, without which 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 295 

a bird falls not to the ground. If it sometimes hap- 
pens that you feel no inward consolation, but only- 
sadness, redouble the fervor of your prayers ; have 
recourse to the Lord, without seeking after vain 
comforts to solace you^ for He Himself will com- 
fort you. 

Do not imagine that holiness consists in receiving 
consolation and great sweetness ; nor, that those ten- 
der sentiments that sometimes produce fountains of 
tears, are certain signs of solid virtue. True devo- 
tion is a prompt and generous will to accomplish all 
that is pleasing to God, and whatever regards His 
honor and service. It always produces salutary 
effects, notwithstanding the aridity the soul suffers. 
To be truly spiritual, therefore, desire not, with too 
much eagerness, these interior delights ; but be 
equally ready to receive them, or to be deprived of 
them, as God may will. If he is pleased to comfort 
you, accept this favor with humble gratitude ; but 
guard against using this gift solely for your satisfac- 
tion ; do not rest so much upon the gift as to forget 
Him who bestows it ; in fine, seek not the consola- 
tions of God, but the God of consolation. 

Be not discouraged because you still perceive cer- 
tain defects or passions, which, with all your indus- 
try, you cannot totally subdue ; recommend yourself 
to the divine mercy, and without losing courage, 
bear this state humbly and patiently ; persevere in 
good, and place yourself in the hands of God. If 
you fall seven times a day, rise as often, hoping that 



296 FIFTH BAY. 

He will pardon you ; and resolve frequently, to be 
more vigilant and attentive over yourself. Confide 
not, however, in your own strength, but in the good- 
ness of God, and the assistance of His grace, which 
will never be wanting to those who serve Him faith- 
fully. Let all the affections of your soul be so 
directed to God, that He may be to you All in all 
things ; and, in all things regard Him alone. 

Place often before your eyes the image of Jesus 
Christ, God and Man, nailed to the Cross ; imprint 
it as deeply as you can on your heart. Reverence, 
with sincere devotion. His sacred wounds, which 
merit eternal homage; hide yourself within them 
with holy confidence and humility. If you employ 
all your powers in representing to yourself the tor- 
ments of your Saviour, every vain thought will be 
excluded. Remain, therefore, in habitual recol- 
lection ; entertain yourself with Him in sweet and 
loving conversations ; look steadfastly upon your 
God, who sees you at all times; let your heart 
speak to Him ; sometimes let your voice express 
your love to Him ; and consider it the greatest of 
all losses to be separated, but for one moment, from 
this Sovereign Good in whom all other goods are 
contained. 



reading for the evening. 297 

Third Reading. 

Common HuleSf chapters V. and vi. 



Fourth Reading. 

Our principal Obligations towards God, towards 
our Neighbor f and towards Ourselves. 

(From the Writings of Father Granada.) 

The Prophet Micheas comprises all virtues in 
these three points of justice^ when he says : ^^ I will 
show thee, O mortal man, what is good, and what 
the Lord requireth of thee : Do judgment, love 
mercy, and walk solicitous with thy God.'^ The 
first, to judge equitably, regards ourselves in par- 
ticular; the second, to love mercy, regards our 
neighbor; and the third, to be careful to please 
God, pertains to His worship, and the homage 
which is due to Him. 

To commence by the strictest and most important 
of these obligations ; you will remark that, among 
precious stones, there are some, by their species, 
much more estimable than others, as rubies, dia- 
monds, and emeralds ; so, among the virtues, there 
are some which, by their nature, incomparably ex- 
cel the rest. These regard God, and for this reason, 
they are called theological ; to these we may also 
add the virtue of Religion, by which we render to 
the divine Majesty, the honor due to Him and to 



298 FIFTH DAY-. 

whatever concerns His worship. These virtues are 
the first and the most essential ; and it may be said 
that, not only are they the first and most important, 
but they excite the other virtues and give them life 
and activity. They are, in regard to the other vir- 
tues, what the heavens are in regard to inferior 
creatures that depend on their influence. If you 
aspire to perfection, endeavor to acquire all virtues, 
if possible ; for, in order that a lute may give forth 
an agreeable harmony, all the strings must perfectly 
accord, and each one perform its duty; in like 
manner, all the virtues contribute and harmonize to 
form the life of a perfect Christian. But, it is 
necessary to cultivate, in a particular degree, those 
virtues of which we now speak, and to advance 
therein, because they are the term of perfection ; 
and you will be all the more perfect, in proportion 
to the greater progress you make in them. We 
cannot but admire the example of these virtues in 
many of the holy patriarchs, as David, Abraham, 
Isaac, and Jacob : although they were rich and 
married, and although their condition, and the con- 
sideration of their families and estates engaged them 
in many cares and temporal concerns; yet they 
ceased not to be great Saints, because they possessed 
these exalted virtues in perfection ; as we see in the 
faith and obedience of Abraham; in the piety, 
devotion, and submission of David ; and in the 
confidence which this great king had in God, seek- 
ing no other assistance, no other refuge in his 



BEADING FOR THE EVENING. 299 

troubles ; trusting only in God, as a dutiful son 
confides in a good father ; for he says himself : 
"My father and mother have forsaken me, but the 
Lord hath taken me under His protection.'^ 

The most effectual means to acquire these excellent 
virtues, is, to believe firmly that God is truly your 
Father, and more than a Father, since no fatherly 
heart is equal to His ; no love of a father or of a 
mother can be compared to the love God has for 
you ; for He it is, who created you, and holds in 
reserve for you the most precious of all treasures. 
Being well convinced of this truth, always look on 
God with the eyes of an affectionate child ; that is, 
with a loving heart, — a tender, humble, and respect- 
ful heart ; an obedient heart, entirely submissive to 
His will ; in fine, with a heart full of confidence, 
seeking protection only under the wings of His 
Providence. You should then regard Almighty 
God with these eyes, with this heart, whenever 
you think of Him ; and you are obliged to think 
of Him as often as you can, both during the day 
and night ; that, with the assistance of His grace, 
you may gradually form in yourself a heart disposed 
like that of the Prophet, who said : " Thy name, O 
Lord, and Thy remembrance are the only desire of 
my heart. My soul hath sighed for Thee during 
the night, and with my spirit within me, in the 
morning early, I will watch to Thee.'' 

Sentiments of this nature towards God, could not 
be expressed by human language, nor be acquired 



300 FIFTH DAY. 

by our own strength.. He alone understands them 
who has experienced them ; and he alone has ex- 
perienced them, who has been favored by them. 
Wherefore, let us incessantly implore this precious 
grace of our Lord. We may, indeed, hope to receive 
a favorable answer to our petition, considering these 
words of our divine Saviour : " If you, then, being 
evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, 
how much more will your heavenly Father give 
the good spirit to those who ask it.^^ The Apostle 
speaks of this spirit when he says : '' We have not 
received the spirit of servitude in fear, but the 
spirit of adoption of the sons of God, by which 
we cry : Abba, Father.'^ This is the heart which 
God promises you by the mouth of the Prophet 
Ezechias : ^^ I will give you a new heart and a new 
spirit within you ; and I will take away the stony 
heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of 
flesh ; and I will put my spirit in the midst of you, 
and will cause you to walk in my commandments, 
and keep my judgments, and do them.^^ This is 
the spirit of filial love which all the prophets have 
so often promised you, through the merits of the 
only Son of God ; and, in truth, it was abundantly 
imparted on the day of Pentecost. 

Now, to descend to particulars, we may say with 
St. Vincent de Lerins, that man should have towards 
God the following dispositions : a most ardent love, 
great fear, profound respect, constant zeal, affec- 
tionate gratitude, prompt obedience, interior joy 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 301 

which leads him to seek God, and to find nothing 
sv/eet or agreeable but Himself. To obtain these 
holy dispositions, pray without intermission, saying 
to our Lord : O good Jesus, grant that I may love 
Thee ardently and with all the powers of my soul ; 
that I may honor Thee and lovingly fear Thee ; 
that I may be zealous for the glory of Thy holy 
name, and so labor to procure it, that the least insult 
offered to Thee may afiiict and rend my heart ; may 
I be grateful for Thy favors, and give Thee thanks 
for them with deep humility ; let me continually 
praise Thee, spending day and night in this exercise; 
and, with the Prophet, may I say to Thee with a 
sincere heart : " I will bless the Lord at all times ; 
His praise shall be ever in my mouth.^^ Grant me 
also this grace : that being perfectly obedient, I 
may taste how sweet Thou art; that I may con- 
tinually increase more and more in Thy love, and 
faithfully observe Thy commandments. 

The virtues of which we have spoken, refer 
directly to Almighty God. As to the duties which 
regard ourselves, St. Vincent de Lerins calls our 
attention to seven principal points. He wishes, 
1 : that a Christian should be always full of con- 
fusion for his sins ; 2 : that he should be sorry for 
them and bewail them all his life, because they 
have offended God and defiled his soul ; 3 : that in 
quality of a sinner, he should desire to be despised, 
forgotten, and abandoned by all the world, believing 
himself unworthy of being noticed by men, or of 



302 FIFTH DAY. 

receiving the smallest favor from them ; 4 : that 
he should consider his body as the source of all his 
sins, and mortify it with all the rigor it deserves; 
5 : that he conceive an irreconcilable hatred against 
his vicious inclinations, and labor incessantly, not 
only to cut oflF the branches, but to pluck up the 
very roots ; 6 : that with extraordinary diligence 
and exact fidelity, he endeavor to regulate all his 
actions, words, and affections, so that he may not, 
in anything, wound justice or charity ; 7 : that 
modesty and prudence appear in all his conduct, so 
that there be nothing superfluous or defective therein. 
This great Saint also adds seven other dispositions 
no less necessary than the former, and which regard 
our neighlx)r : 1 : To have true compassion for the 
sufferings of others, and feel them as if they were 
our own ; 2 : to rejoice sincerely at their prosperity, 
as we would do in our own case ; 3 : to bear patiently 
the injuries offered to us, and accord a hearty for- 
giveness for them ; 4 : to treat every one with great 
charity and meekness ; 5 : to show respect towards 
our equals, regarding them as better than ourselves; 
submitting to them as if, indeed, they were our 
superiors : 6 : to maintain perfect peace and union 
with all men, so that, as far as is consistent with the 
good pleasure of God, we may have but one and the 
same sentiment, one and the same will ; 7 : to be 
in a sincere disposition, after the example of Jesus 
Christ, to sacrifice ourselves for all men ; that is, to be 
prepared to expose our lives for the salvation of souls ; 



BEADING FOR THE EVENING. 303 

to labor continually that all may be one in Jesus 
Christ, and Jesus Christ in them. 

But, because the virtue of charity and compassion 
towards our neighbor is the root and foundation of 
all these virtues, you should hold it in the highest 
esteem if you desire to please God, since no other is 
so frequently and earnestly recommended in Scrip- 
ture as this. The Prophet Zachary relates that the 
Jews having asked of God whether, in order to 
please Him and fulfil His law, they should fast on 
certain days in the year ; God, to give them to 
understand what works were most pleasing to Him, 
replied : '' Thus saith the Lord of Hosts : Judge 
ye true judgment, and show ye mercy and com- 
passion, every man to his brother ; and oppress not 
the widow and' the fatherless, and the stranger and 
the poor ; and let not a man devise evil in his heart 
against his brother .^^ The Prophet Isaias speaks in 
a manner even more touching : ^'To refresh and con- 
sole the weary is my joy and repose.^^ Could God 
more exalt works of mercy than by putting Him- 
self in the place of the poor, and receiving as for 
Himself, the refreshment and assistance given to the 
needy? Do we not observe that our Saviour has 
comprised the whole law and the prophets in the 
sole precept of the love of God and of our neighbor? 
In fine, Jesus Christ being on the point of leaving 
this world, recommended nothing so expressly to 
His disciples in the beautiful sermon He gave them 
after the Last Supper, as to preserve charity and to 



304 FIFTH DAY. 

love their brethren. ^'This is my commandment/' 
says He, ^^that you love one another as I have 
loved you." And again : ^^ By this shall all men 
know that you are my disciples, if you have love 
one for another.'' Not satisfied with giving them 
this last commandment, He addresses Himself to 
His Father, conjuring Him to imprint this precept 
on their minds : '^ Holy Father, I pray that they 
may be one, as Thou, Father, in me, and I in 
Thee; that the world may know that Thou hast 
sent me." Thus, our Saviour desired that the love 
of Christians for one another should be so perfect, 
that it would suffice to convince men of the divinity 
of a religion capable of inspiring such virtue. 
These considerations show us what our charity and 
compassion should be in regard to our neighbor, 
and our obligation to assist him in his necessities. 

In order to reduce to practice these recommenda- 
tions, it becomes necessary to watch continually over 
yourself with fear and trembling; and to dread 
nothing so much as being unfaithful to God in the 
good resolutions you have adopted for the regulation 
of your life. This holy vigilance will serve as a 
spur to keep you from falling asleep in the path of 
virtue ; nor should you, even in the midst of your 
occupations, fail to observe it ; for this salutary fear 
and this exactitude in avoiding all that might dis- 
please God, is, according to the Prophet, the third 
part of justice. 



KEADING FOR THE EVENING. 305 

These are the principal virtues which embellish 
the Christian life ; this is the image of which we 
spoke, — renewed, and reformed upon the model of 
Jesus Christ ; for the life of a Christian should be 
so perfect, as to be a pattern of holiness, a silent 
sermon, a shining light, a convincing proof of the 
true faith, and a mirror in which God's glory may 
be more clearly manifested than in all other crea- 
tures. 



20 



306 SIXTH DAY. 



SIXTH DAY. 



FiEST Reading for the Morning. 

Following of Christy Book III. chapter xiii. 



Second Eeading. 
Charity y — its Excellence and Fruits. 
(From the Writings of Father Granada). 

St. Prosper says, that Charity is the end of the 
commandments, the death of vices, the life of vir- 
tues, the strength of those who combat, the crown 
of those who triumph ; the buckler of holy souls, 
the cause of all merit, and the necessary condition 
of pleasing God. It abounds in fruits of grace for 
those who commence; is full of joy for those who 
advance ; and a treasure of grace for those who per- 
severe ; it is the faithful companion of the victories of 
the Martyrs, the succor and vigor of the faithful in all 
their labors. By these words this Father endeavors 
to explain what Charity is, and to make us com- 
prehend something of its Excellence and its Fruits. 

But, what still more recommends it, is, that it is 
the greatest of virtues ; it includes them all, and it 
is their end. We have an evident proof of this in 
the dignity which the Seraphim possess in heaven. 
Charity reigns and shines in them more perfectly 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 307 

than in all the other choirs of Angels; and they hold 
the first rank among the blessed Spirits, because they 
surpass them all in this virtue. And St. Gregory 
teaches us, that all those who in this life are inflamed 
with the love of God, belong in a measure, to this 
supreme hierarchy. Hear his words : '' There are,^^ 
says he, " some persons whose hearts, inflamed by 
the contemplation of divine things, burn with the 
single desire of their Creator^ seeking nothing of 
this world ; they are nourished only with the love 
of eternity, despising all earthly goods ; by the 
strength of their spirit, they rise above all that is 
perishable, and find their repose and riches in this 
love. . . . Burning with love themselves, they warm 
others when they speak, and by their words, excite 
the same ardor in them with which they are ani- 
mated. How, then, shall I name these holy souls, 
if not Seraphim ; since their hearts, converted into 
fire, enlighten and inflame at the same time.^' 

Another advantage of Charity, according to St. 
Augustine, is, that God even calls Himself, Charity; 
showing us that nothing so closely resembles the 
Deity as this rare virtue. And, in truth, as God is 
all things. Charity, in some measure, is all things; 
since it is useful to all, giving life and perfection 
to all. Charity, in the first place, makes men holy, 
since, according to St. Bernard, Charity is the rule 
and measure of perfection; so that, we advance in 
holiness in proportion to our love of God. Charity 
renders men wise, according to the words of David : 



308 SIXTH DAY. 

'' The commandment of the Lord is luminous ; it 
enlightens the eyes of the soul/^ This made St. 
Augustine say : '' Whoever desires to know God, 
and to please Him at the same time, let him love 
Him, and then he will know Him.'^ Charity 
makes true Prelates, and inspires them with senti- 
ments conformable to their dignity. For this reason 
our Lord, wishing to raise St. Peter to the exalted 
rank of Head of His Church, desired of him this 
sole virtue, when He asked three times, if this 
Apostle loved Him more than the others. Charity 
makes Martyrs, since all those who have acquired 
this glorious title by their sufferings, have drawn 
their strength from this virtue ; for, St. Augustine 
says, there is nothing so strong or so powerful as 
love. Charity produces Virgins, since, as St. John 
Climachus tells us, he is chaste who surmounts 
love by another love, and who, by the fire of divine 
love, destroys the sinful concupiscence of the flesh. 
Charity gives men glorious victory over all tempta- 
tions ; and, upon this subject, St. Peter of Ravenna 
utters these beautiful words : '' My Brethren, love 
God, and love Him with all your heart ; that by 
this means you may, without difficulty, overcome 
all the assaults of the enemy ; it is a very gentle 
war, a most agreeable combat, to triumph over all 
vices with the sweetness of love.'^ In fine, Charity 
is the perfection and accomplishment of the Law 
and the Prophets, as the Apostle teaches, when he 
says : '' Love is the end and the fulfilling of the 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 309 

Law ; " in a word, all that can be said, is included 
in this term : — Charity. 

The love of God appears like to God, Himself, in 
its properties, and in the privileges which attend it, 
and by which it enters into some conformity with 
the divine attributes ; for, to borrow the words of a 
holy Doctor : Love is noble and generous ; it is beau- 
tiful and wise ; it accomplishes great things ; it is 
sweet, strong, and produces many fruits ; it is simple, 
chaste, invincible, and ever gains the ascendency. 
Love is always cheerful, attractive, agreeable, and 
admirable. Love penetrates and subdues all that is 
opposed to it ; it elevates and abases ; it is high and 
profound; it surmounts the greatest difficulties; it 
gives death and vivifies ; it cannot hide itself, it can 
be repaid only by love ; it gives all for love, because 
it wishes and craves nothing but love. The heart 
of him who loves perfectly, thinks always of love, 
and his tongue speaks only of love. Love enlight- 
ens the understanding, inflames the will, ravishes 
the senses, sanctifies the soul, and transforms the 
whole man into God. 

It is then but just, that we employ every means 
to acquire this virtue, since it attracts so many others 
in its train. We read that our Lord, among other 
lessons of piety, taught the following to a certain 
Saint : When you recite the Pater, stop at this peti- 
tion : ^^ Thy will be done,'' and endeavor to conform 
your will to that of God in whatever may befall you. 
When you say the Ave^ Maria, pause at the name 



310 SIXTH DAY. 

of Jesus^ that it may be imprinted on your heart to 
serve as your defense, your guide, and your conso- 
lation in all the trials of life. When you read the 
Scripture, dwell upon this single word : '' Love,'^ by 
means of which you will always walk in the right 
path, will always be pure, courageous, and diligent; 
for, it is the nature of love to execute all things 
without difficulty, fear, or weariness ; making even 
martyrdom sweet and agreeable. It cannot be con- 
ceived what a single sparj^ of true love can effect, 
nor the wonderful fruits it produces. To conclude : 
this fire will consume all your evil inclinations, all 
disorderly affections and desires for the things of 
this life. 

But, besides all these goods and advantages which 
accompany this virtue, I think I should add, in 
order to urge men to desire and seek it, that in 
it, consists not only the perfection of the Christian 
life, but also the greater portion of the joy and hap- 
piness which the heart of a creature can taste while 
upon earth ; for, as says Boetius, all men tend to one 
single object ; that is, to be contented and happy ; 
and, as their felicity proceeds from a good which in- 
cludes all other goods; the will, finding in this 
good, all satisfaction of its desires, seeks for nothing 
more, since it possesses all it craves. This good, so 
general and so perfect, can be no other than God, 
Himself; hence, no perfect repose can be found out 
of Him ; and with Him, we cannot fail to enjoy it. 
True, we shall find it in its plenitude only in the 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 311 

other life, where we shall possess God entirely ; but 
we shall enjoy it, thougli less perfectly, in this life, 
by the light and inllnence of grace. St. Bernard 
reveals what he experienced in himself, in his Treat- 
ise of the Love of God ; he says : '' Being in a retired 
place, like a solitary bird which makes its nest in a 
lonely desert separated from the rest of the world, 
and beginning to feel the sweet breath of love, I 
opened my month, my divine Savionr, and I drew 
in Thy spirit; and sometimes, with my eyes half 
closed, and sighing for Thee, Thon didst instil into 
the month of my heart something which I can 
scarcely comprehend or express. However, I feel 
the sweetness and tenderness of it, which so consoles 
me, that if Thon didst fdl me with it, I shonld have 
nothing more to desire.'' These are the words St. 
Bernard nses to explain his transport. The Sponse 
in the Canticles expresses the same sentiment, when 
she says : '' I sleep, bnt my heart watches." For, 
when we sleep, onr senses remain suspended and in 
repose; in like manner, God sometimes communi- 
cates Himself to our souls with such sweetness and 
love, that He seems to immerse us in a river of 
peace; rendering us so happy, delighted, and com- 
pletely satiated, that we are, as in a profound sleep, 
with regard to all desires and thonghts of this life; 
about which we are no more concerned than if we 
were ac^tually asleep. 

The Holy Spirit not only compares this state to 
sleep, but, in another place of the same Canticle, 



312 SIXTH DAY. 

He styles it death, saying : ^^ Love is as strong as 
death." And a Saint, explaining these words, teaches 
us, that the love of God in its ])erfection, is so 
strong, that it ravishes by its charms, all the powers 
of the soul, rendering them dead to all the pleasures 
of earth. 

The joy and sweetness which accompany Charity 
are so great, that they forcibly, but sweetly, take 
possession of all the faculties of the soul ; entirely 
withdraw it from the love of terrestrial things, 
and wholly transport us in God. This love also 
wounds, because it strikes the heart in such a man- 
ner that, as he who has received a violent blow, 
cannot help thinking of the pain caused thereby; 
so he who happily finds himself wounded by this 
love, cannot but with difficulty, distract his thoughts 
from that which he loves. This made the Abbot 
Sylvanus say, that when he came from prayer, all 
things appeared to him so vile and base, that he shut 
his eyes that he might not see them, and said to 
himself: Be closed, my eyes, do not look at any- 
thing of this world, for nothing in it merits your 
notice. 

But, if you desire a still more striking example 
to convince you of this truth, listen to what St. 
Jerome relates of his exercises, and of the attrac- 
tions and delights with which God nourished his 
soul in a desert, as he calls it, parched by the rays 
of the sun : " If I discovered anywhere a deep 
valley, or a craggy rock, that was the place of my 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 313 

prayer. There — the same Lord is my witness — after 
shedding many tears, after looking a long time to 
heaven, I seemed to be amidst the choirs of Angels ; 
and in the joy of my heart, I sang : "After Thee, 
O Lord, we will run in the odor of celestial per- 
fumes/^ He relates these things to the chaste 
Eustochium ; and, writing to other virgins conse- 
crated to God, he says : " Believe an old man who 
speaks from experience, my Daughters : If once 
you had tasted how sweet is the Lord, you would 
be powerfully persuaded of the truth of His word, 
when He says : Come to me and I will show you 
all riches. In truth. He will communicate secrets 
to you of which no one can speak but such as have 
experienced them. I know what I say, my dear 
Daughters, and I declare to you candidly that, not- 
withstanding my misery and unworthiness, I often 
found myself in the company of Angels, partaking 
for several days of this sweet and heavenly nourish- 
ment. After which, returning to myself, and having 
learned many things of the future, I would weep, 
to be forced to relinquish so soon this delightful 
pleasure. But, of the happiness which I enjoyed 
at this time, and the ineflFable sweetness in which 
my soul was plunged, T attest, that these graces and 
transports were such, that the weakness of my 
language is unable to express them.^^ He then 
adds: "A heart filled with earthly things cannot 
relish the sweetness of this contemplation. It must 
be dead to the world, that it may live to God alone, 



PiilliMliil 



314 SIXTH DAY. 

and have no care but to approach Him by holy 
thoughts and fervent desires. For, as the Lord 
says Himself: ^^If the grain of wheat falling into 
the earth, die not, itself remaineth alone ; but if it 
corrupt and die, it yieldeth much fruit.^' 

I could also cite the example of St. Thomas of 
Aquin. This holy man was often so absorbed in 
God, that his body, carried away by his spirit, was 
sometimes raised from the ground ; at other times, 
was without feeling ; so, that once being surprised 
in one of these ecstasies, as he was holding in his 
hand a lighted candle, it was consumed between his 
fingers, without his being sensible of it ; the accident 
was discovered only by the marks of the burn. 
Another time, it was deemed necessary to cauterize 
him; placing himself in prayer, he was immediately 
so absorbed in God, that he did not feel the pain of 
the operation. 

After this, consider, if it is not just to esteem this 
treasure and to give all we possess, to acquire this 
precious pearl. If men do and suffer so much for 
the perishable goods of this life, which rather excite 
thirst in the soul than satisfy it, what should you 
not be willing to do for the acquisition of a good 
which so effectually stifles in you, the desire of any 
other good ? ^^ They call that man rich and happy/^ 
says St. Augustine, ^^ whose coffers are filled with 
money ; but should he not be considered so, who 
has God in his heart?" 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 315 

Behold, then, a most powerful motive, among 
many others, which should make us sigh continually 
for this blessed moment in which we may acquire 
this rich treasure. As God alone can satisfy the 
desires of the soul, every one should feel obliged to 
tend with all his strength, to the perfection of the 
spiritual life; that he may become intimately united 
to this Sovereign Good, and render himself partici- 
pant thereof. 

Third Reading. 

Common Rules, chapter/Vii. 



Fourth Reading. 

Means of Acquiring the Love of God, 

(From the Writings of Father Granada.) 

After having shown that the end of a Christian 
life is the Love of God, we must now point out the 
means by which we may attain this Love; or rather, 
in what manner God is accustomed to impart it to 
souls ; that you may know what preparations you 
should make to receive this divine favor, and coop- 
erate with the good inspirations that God may give 
you. 

First, we must admit, that no human effort is 
sufficient, of itself, to acquire this virtue; it is a 
gift and a pure grace of God, the most considerable 



316 SIXTH DAY. 

and important of all His gifts. This is why the 
Apostle says : " The charity of God has been shed 
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been 
given to us.'^ Therefore, it is the Holy Spirit, who 
is the essential Love of the divine Persons, who 
descends into the soul of the just man, creating and 
infusing therein that celestial habit which entices 
and urges him to love God. 

You will remark, then, that the most ordinary 
means which God employs to increase and perfect 
this virtue in His elect, is, to give them, first, a new 
relish, a true knowledge of the nobility, sweetness, 
and beauty of His Love ; in order to enkindle in 
the soul a great desire to experience something of 
it, and to spare no pains to possess it. God acts, 
in this case, like a merchant — if we may use the 
comparison — who, wishing to sell a most excellent 
wine, first gives a taste of it to him who desires to 
buy ; that, being convinced of its excellence, he will 
make no diflBculty in giving the price demanded. 
The Scripture represents the same to us, in figure, 
in the marriage of Jacob and Rachel. This Patri- 
arch considered first, the beauty of the maid ; from 
this arose the desire to espouse her ; and his affec- 
tion made him say to Laban, the father of Rachel : 
" I will serve you seven years if you give me your 
daughter;^' and this long time appeared to him but 
a small matter, on account of the great love he had 
for her. What do these figures signify, if not what 
we see clearly expressed in the Canticles in these 



BEADING FOR THE EVENING. 317 

words : " When a man will have given all that he 
possesses in order to acquire Charity, he will esteem 
as nothing all that he has given/^ Listen to what 
I am about to say : This delicate wine and this 
beautiful Rachel signify the same thing ; for the 
wine represents Charity, and Rachel is the figure of 
divine contemplation which conducts to Charity. 
This is the wine which was furnished by Jesus 
Christ at the marriage of Cana, — the wine to which 
the Spouse invites us when she says : " Drink, my 
friends, and be inebriated, my well-beloved.^^ In a 
word, this is the wine of which David speaks, when 
he says : ^^ Oh ! how excellent is the cup with which 
I am inebriated ! ^^ 

The first thing which Jesus Christ operates in 
His chosen souls, when He wishes to increase this 
virtue in them, is, to make them experience the 
sweetness of this wine ; this He does by giving them 
a knowledge which has nothing human in it, but is 
all divine. Thus, He makes them taste the beauty 
of this virtue, teaching them at the same time, that 
it is the root of all virtues and the death of all 
vices ; that it elevates men above the heavens, unites 
them to God, and renders them participants of 
heavenly delights ; so that, being sustained by the 
sweetness of celestial graces, attracted by the taste 
of that nourishment, and knowing the value of this 
inestimable pearl, they may make every effort to 
secure it. God gives the first taste of this gift 
without cost; but He afterwards requires you to 



318 SIXTH DAY. 

purchase it with great care and labor. Thus we 
read, that Jacob first received the chaste Rachel 
for a spouse, but afterwards served seven years for 
love of her; the merchant, also, in the beginning, 
gives his wine for nothing, that it may be tasted, 
but afterwards sells it for its just value. 

When we have learned the excellence of Charity, 
there arises in the soul a vehement desire to possess 
this sublime virtue; which desire is, doubtless, a 
particular gift of God, as well as the knowledge 
which is the cause of it. But, to explain how great 
this desire is in some souls, I must acknowledge that 
comparisons fail. The desire of the miser for gold, 
that of the ambitious man for honors, is very great, 
since they willingly expose themselves to winds and 
tempests, and traverse the globe to acquire them ; 
but this desire is weak, compared to that of which 
we make mention ; for, proceeding from a more noble 
principle, and tending to a higher end, it is, without 
comparison, stronger and more ardent than all other 
desires. This is the desire with which the Wise 
Man was burning when he spoke thus of this virtue: 
^^ I have loved her, and sought her from my youth ; 
I have desired her for my spouse, for my soul was 
always ravished with her beauty. ^^ Every man, 
truly inflamed with the desire of this celestial spouse, 
which is divine wisdom and Charity, can think of 
nothing else ; there is nothing he esteems so much ; 
nothing he so ardently desires, or asks for with more 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 319 

earnestness ; and he is ready to undertake any hard- 
ship to gain possession of it. 

This is the condition of a soul inflamed with divine 
Love ; it runs, wounded with love, as a hind carrying 
in its side the arrow that pierced it; for it has 
received the first fruits and pledges of the Holy Spirit, 
and has tasted a few drops of the sweetness of God's 
grace; it cannot rest, it finds no repose until it 
reaches the fountain of living water, the delights of 
which it has already experienced, in some degree. 
Thus, the Lord commands us to seek until we find : 
^^Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall 
find ; knock, and it shall be opened to you.'' And 
Eusebius of Emessa explaining these words, adds : 
^^Ask, by prayer; seek, by labor and diligence ; knock, 
by the strength of good desires." For, in truth, our 
desires for heavenly goods must be great, that there 
may be some proportion between what we ask for, 
and what we hope to attain ; our desires should be 
great, since their recompense is so excellent. 

This ardent desire is the source of all virtues, and 
the means of acquiring divine Love. For those who 
seek God in all the sincerity of their heart, cease not 
to sigh after Him, and to moan as the dove. They 
become so absorbed in this holy thought, that whether 
they eat, or drink, or walk, or whatever else they do, 
they incessantly fill heaven and earth with their 
cries; — addressing all the Saints from whom they 
expect succor, and in particular, imploring the power 
of the Blessed Virgin. 



320 SIXTH DAY. 

If you wish to place yourself in a suitable dispo- 
sition to obtain the Love of God, imitate the poor 
who solicit alms. This is the means the holy King 
David employed : sometimes he styles himself an 
orphan, sometimes a sick man ; again, a poor beg- 
gar. In these sincere and humble sentiments, ad- 
dress yourself to God, conjuring Him to grant you 
this favor. It is not enough for you to ask this 
with the perseverance and earnestness of the poor in 
seeking alms, you should imitate them in the means 
they adopt to excite the compassion of those who 
pass by : they display their tattered garments, their 
infirmities, their wounds ; they endure hunger, cold, 
heat, all the inclemency of the seasons, for the sake 
of a little food ; — awaiting all day the trifling alms 
which, indeed, is often refused them. If they do all 
this for a morsel of bread, what should you not do 
to procure the bread of Angels, the true nourish- 
ment and support of the soul ? See, also, what care 
the poor take to select the most suitable places to 
make their demands, as churches and localities where 
the most charitable persons are likely to be found ; 
admire also their patience in remaining there so long 
a time, in order to obtain a little assistance. And 
you, begging from the Lord, should seek a place ot 
silence and retirement as the most suitable for prayer, 
and there solicit the spiritual alms you desire. Then, 
apply to the Saints, who are as the houses of the rich 
and charitable, and implore their assistance. In fine, 
as these poor people spend the entire day in going 



I 



ttEABlNa J'OH THE ETENmC. 821 

from door to door^ begging, and lose no occasion of 
making some little profit ; in like manner, employ 
your mind and all your powers, that your whole life 
may be a continual prayer ; profit by every occasion, 
to persevere in this holy search, and to raise your 
heart to God. 

They who wish to arrive at holy Love by means 
of earnest prayer, ought to know that, to pray with 
all the devotion and attention which this holy exer- 
cise demands, they must withdraw from all un- 
necessary affairs, and curb their senses, particularly 
the sight and hearing. For this end, you should 
labor strenuously to preserve holy solitude of mind 
and heart; banishing all useless cares, and restrain- 
ing curiosity of the mind, that you may more easily 
elevate your heart to God and consecrate it to His 
service. 

It is well known that resemblance engenders 
love; and that what pleases God the most, and 
renders man most like His divine Son, is to bear 
labors, persecutions, injuries, and poverty for His 
Love. A soul truly imbued with the Love of God 
and who meditates on the Passion of Jesus Christ, 
sometimes experiences a thirst for sufferings far 
more intense, than the desire of worldly men fol* 
riches and ease. We read of St. Francis, that he 
had so excessive a love for poverty, that no miser 
had the like for riches. St. Dominic burned so 
ardently with the desire of martyrdom, that the 
thirsty stag is not more eager to reach the fountains 
21 



322 SIXTH DAY. 



of water to refresh itself; aod, as if one kind 
martyrdom were not sufficient to satisfy his desire, 
he wished to have a special one for each of his 
members, that he might be the more conformed to 
Jesus Christ. It is said that the crocodile, a most 
cruel animal, flies when attacked; but pursues its 
enemy fleeing before it; thus it is with the pains 
and troubles of this life. They fly, so to speak, 
and cease to be troubles to those who seek them, 
and accept them for the Love of God; but they 
follow and generally torment those who have a 
horror of them ; for pain does not consist so much 
in the actual burden, as in the repugnance of 
the will. 

Consider the true servant of God animated by 
this same spirit; he despises and tramples under 
foot all that the world esteems and adores : honors, 
pleasures, riches ; he desires to be the sport of the 
world for Jesus Christ ; he has no repose until God 
makes him feel something of the Passion of our 
Lord ; and he does not deem his love pure, until 
he has passed through the fire of tribulation. 

For this reason, those who are seriously deter- 
mined to serve God with their whole heart, resolve 
to renounce the world, at least, in spirit and heart. 
They do not wish to adore false gods, nor do they 
expect succor from them ; moreover, seeing that this 
life is subject to so many miseries and necessities, 
they place all their hope in Him for whose love 
they have quitted all things; and they are fully 



^ 



HEADING FOR THE EVENING. 323 

convinced that He is so good and faithful, that He, 
alone, will suffice for all their needs. Hence, they 
do not consider themselves abandoned ; on the 
contrary, they remain in an assurance so much the 
stronger, as they lean on the power and goodness of 
God. With this support, they esteem themselves 
rich in the midst of poverty ; are content in their 
necessities, firm and constant in dangers ; in the 
midst of contradictions they are in peace, saying 
with the great Apostle : I know the strength of 
Him in whom I put my trust, and that He is 
powerful enough to keep the deposit I place in His 
hands. Amidst the trials and difficulties of life, 
they raise their eyes to the mountains whence they 
expect succor ; knowing that He who guards Israel, 
slumbers not, and that He never forgets His own ; 
hence, they sleep in peaceful confidence because they 
have a Guardian who watches for them. 

Being thus fortified by hope, they preserve peace 
of heart, which is the best disposition to arrive at 
divine union ; for, confiding in God through all the 
trials which arise, and believing firmly that He will 
preserve them from danger, they have no cause to 
be troubled or afflicted. They are truly happy. 



324 SEVEKTH BAY* 

SEVENTH DAY. 



First Reading for the Morning. 

Following of Christy Book III. chapter ltx. 



Second Eeading. 

The 'particular Care Divine Providenoe takes of the 
Good, 

(From the Writings of Father Granada.) 

Of all divine favors, the greatest, certainly, is the 
Care which God takes of those who serve Him. 
From this, as from their source, flow all other 
privileges. For, although Prov^idence extends to 
all creatures in general, yet, it is far more careful 
of those received into the number of His special 
children, and to whom He has given a filial heart 
and mind. And He, on His side, has for them the 
heart of a Father ; and His love is the measure of 
the Care He bestows upon them. 

Yet, no man can understand the extent of this 
Providence, unless he has experienced it, or read the 
Holy Scripture with great attention, and observed 
therein those passages that treat of this matter. He, 
then, who will have given the necessary attention to 
this reading, will see that almost the whole Bible, 
from beginning to end, turns on these two funda- 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 325 

mental points: — to ask, and to promise, — as the 
world turns on its poles ; so that, when God, on the 
one hand, requires of man to obey His command- 
ments, He promises, on the other, a great reward for 
observing them ; whereas, He threatens to punish 
severely, those who break them. 

But, considering the liberality of God and the 
destitution of man ; the promises of God and the ina- 
bility of man to make any return ; there must needs 
be a great difference between what God asks and 
what He gives. He demands of us love and obedi- 
ence which are His gifts to us ; and yet, in return 
for that little, which we hold purely of His liber- 
ality. He offers us inestimable riches for this life as 
well as for the next. Among these goods, the chief 
is, the Fatherly love and Providence extended to 
those whom He has received into the number of 
His children. This love infinitely surpasses all the 
tenderness and affection which the most devoted 
father in the world could have for his children. 
There never was a father who amassed such riches 
for his children as God promises to His ; these riches 
are no less than a participation of His glory. No 
father has undergone such hardship for his children 
as God, who has shed His Blood for us ; nor has 
any father ever taken so much care of his children 
as God does, since He has them always in His sight, 
and assists them in all their necessities. 

But, since this divine Providence is the greatest 
treasure of a Christian ; and since the greater his 



326 SEYE^^TH DAY. 

assurance of this Providence, the greater will be his 
confidence and joj, it will be well to quote here 
some passages of Scripture in proof of the same ; 
each text will be an authentic assurance of these 
immense riches which God, by His testament, has 
bequeathed to us. In Ecclesiasticus, it is said : 
^^The eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear 
Him ; He is their powerful protector and strong 
stay ; a defense from the heat, and a cover from the 
sun at noon. A preservation from stumbling, and 
a help from falling; He raiseth up the soul, and 
enlighteneth the eyes, and giveth health, and life, 
and blessing.^' From this we see, how numerous 
are the offices which the God of all majesty renders 
to His children. 

The Prophet David says in his Psalms : '^ ^yith 
the Lord shall the steps of the just be directed, and 
He shall regulate his ways. When he shall fall, he 
shall not be bruised, for the Lord putteth His hand 
under him to shield him.'^ \Yhat harm can 
happen to him who falls so softly, and is supported 
by the hand of God ? He says again, in another 
place : '' Many are the afflictions of the just, but 
out of them all, will the Lord deliver them. The 
Lord keepeth all their bones, not one of them shall 
be broken. ^^ This Providence is still more magni- 
fied in the Gospel ; for our Saviour, Himself, there 
tells us that not only does He take care of their 
bones, but of their very hairs, that not one of them 
be lost; thus, to express in how extraordinary a 



I 



READING FOR THE MOEXIXG. 327 

manner He protects the just ; for what will not God 
look after, since He is mindful of the very hairs of 
our head ? If this surprises us, how great will be 
our astonishment to hear what the Prophet, Zachary, 
tells us : ^^ Whoever/^ says he, ^' shall touch you, 
will touch the apple of my eye/^ It were much had 
He said : '^ Whosoever shall touch you, will touch 
me,^^ but : ^' ^yhosoever shall touch you, will touch 
the apple of my eye,^^ is far stronger. 

Xor does God only look after us Himself, but He 
has committed us to the care of His Angels ; there- 
fore, David says ; '^ He hath given His Angels charge 
over thee : to keep thee in all thy ways. In their 
hands shall they bear thee up : lest thou dash thy 
foot against a stone/^ Thus, our good Angels, like 
elder brothers, carry the just in their arms; for, not 
knowing how to walk by themselves, they require 
the help of others. Xor are the Angels content to 
serve them thus in this life only, but also at their 
death ; as appears by the poor man in the Gospel, who, 
after his death, was carried by Angels into Abraham's 
bosom. In another Psalm, David says again : ^^ The 
Angel of the Lord shall encamp round about them 
that fear Him, and shall deliver them.'' 

As this divine Providence produces so many 
different and wonderful effects, God has therefore, a 
great many different names given Him in the Holy 
Scripture ; but the most usual and the most remark- 
able is that of Father; and it is thus that His 
beloved Son styles Him in the Gospel. But it is 



328 SEVENTH DAY. 

not only in the Gospel that he takes this name, it 
is given to Him in several places of the Old Testa- 
ment. David says : ^^ As a father hath compassion 
on his children^ so hath the Lord compassion on 
them that fear Him, for He knoweth our frailty/^ 
Another Prophet, not content to call God, Father, 
because His love and care are infinitely greater than 
that of all fathers, speaks in these terms : '' Thou, 
O Lord, art our only Father; Abraham hath not 
known us, and Israel hath been ignorant of us/^ 
This gives us to understand, that these being but 
carnal fathers, deserved not the name, in comparison 
with God. 

But, because a mother's affection is, generally 
speaking, more tender than a father's, God is pleased 
to term Himself a mother, and more than a mother. 
Hence, He says by the Prophet, Isaias : " Can a 
woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on 
the son of her womb? and if she should forget, yet 
will I not forget thee.^' Can anything be more 
tender than this? Who would not then rejoice 
after this, in having such pledges of love as these ? 
He who gives them to us is God, the infallible 
Truth, whose riches are infinite, whose power is 
boundless. Why should we not hope ? Why should 
we not give ourselves up to joy and gladness? 

But such is the excess of God's mercy, that He 
is not content to compare His affection to that of 
ordinary mothers. The love of the eagle is the 
most remarkable, and with this, God compares His 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 329 

tenderness for us, when He says : '' The Lord loves 
His children as the eagle loves her little ones ; He 
spreads His wings over them, and carries them 
upon His shoulders/^ And, elsewhere, the same 
Prophet thus expresses himself: '^ The Lord carried 
you all the way you went, as a father carries his 
little son in his arms, until you arrived at the place 
He promised you/' As God does not disdain to 
take the title of Father, He also does us the honor 
to give us that of children. A proof of this is 
found in Jeremias : " Ephraim is an honorable son 
to me and a child most dear to me ; since I have 
spoken of him, I will always remember him ; 
therefore, are my bowels troubled for him ; pitying, 
I will pity him/' Every word here should be 
weighed with attention, being the words of God; 
and should elicit from our heart a sincere affection 
for Him, since His love for us is so tender. 

On account of this same Providence, after calling 
Himself a Father, God takes also the title of Shep- 
herd, as we read in the Gospel : ''' I am the Good 
Shepherd, and I know mine, and mine know me.'' 
How, O Lord, dost Thou know Thy sheep ? With 
what eyes dost Thou regard them ? With the very 
eyes with which my Father looks on me, and I on 
Him, with the same eyes do I behold my sheep; 
and they regard me in the same manner. O blessed 
Care ! O sovereign Providence ! What greater 
happiness can a man enjoy, than to be regarded 
by the Son of God, with the same eyes as those 



330 SEVENTH DAY. 

by which the Father looks on Him ? For^ although 
the comparison does not hold in all respects^ since a 
true son must always be much more beloved than 
one who is only adopted; yet, it is a very high honor 
to be in any manner compared with Him. 

But God shows us, in a more touching manner, 
the wonderful effects of His Providence, when He 
says by the Prophet, Ezechial : ^^ Behold I, myself, 
will seek my sheep, and will visit them. As the 
shepherd visiteth his flock in the day, when he shall 
be in the midst of his sheep that were scattered ; so 
will I visit my sheep, and will deliver them out of 
the places where they have been scattered in the 
cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out 
from the peoples, and will gather them out of the 
countries, and will bring them to their own land ; 
and I will feed them in the mountains of Israel, by 
the rivers, and in all the habitations of the land ; 
I will feed them in the most fruitful pastures, and 
their pastures shall be in the high mountains of 
Israel. I will feed my sheep, and will make them 
lie down, saith the Lord. I will seek that which 
was lost : and that which was driven away, I will 
bring back again ; and I will bind up that which 
was broken." What greater promises can God make 
us, or what further evidence can He give us of His 
love? 

As we call God our Shepherd, because He guides 
us, so we may call Him our King, because He 
defends us; our Master, because He instructs us; 



READING FOR THE MORNINa. 331 

our Physician^ because He heals us ; our Foster- 
Father, because He carries us in His arms ; and 
our Guardian, because He watches so carefully over 
us, and protects us. The Holy Scripture is full of 
such names as these. But yet, there is not one that 
expresses a more tender love, or reveals His Provi- 
dence more clearly, than that of Spouse, — a title 
which He often assumes in the Canticles, and in 
other places throughout the Scripture. By this 
loving name. He invites the soul of the sinner to 
call on Him. What, then, may we not hope from 
Him who takes this title, for He will not bear it 
in vain ? 

But what need is there to search the Bible for 
titles, since every name that promises us any good, 
may be applied to God? For he who loves and 
seeks Him, shall find in Him all he desires. For 
this reason, St. Ambrose says : ^^ We have all things 
in Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is all things to us. 
If we need a cure for our wounds, He is a physician ; 
if we are burning with the fire of concupiscence, He 
is a refreshing fountain ; if we are weary with the 
burden of our sins, He is justice itself; if we are 
afraid of death. He is life ; if we hate darkness. He 
is light ; if we would go to heaven. He is the way.^^ 
See here, how many titles God has ; for although He 
is but one in Himself, yet. He is all things for us, 
that He may heal all our infirmities. 



332 seventh day. 

Third Reading. 

Common Rules, chapter viii. 



Fourth Reading. 

On the Grace of the Holy Ghost bestowed upon 

virtuous Souls, and the Light with which 

He favors them, 

(From the Writiogs of Father Granada.) 

From this fatherly Providence, as from a fountain, 
flow all the favors which God bestows on them who 
serve Him ; for this Providence supplies them with 
all necessaries for obtaining their end, that is to say, 
their perfection : it assists them in all their wants, 
infusing into their souls the virtues and habits 
requisite for this end. Among these habits, the 
chief is sanctifying Grace; because, next to this 
divine Providence, it is the principle of all super- 
natural gifts. It is the first robe given to the 
prodigal son on his return to his father^s house. 

Should you ask me : What is this Grace ? I 
answer with theologians : that Grace is a participa- 
tion of the divine nature, that is, of God^s sanctity, 
purity, and greatness. By means of this Grace, 
man rises from the baseness he derived from Adam, 
to partake of the sanctity of God ; — divesting himself 
of himself, to put on Jesus Christ. Holy Writers 



IlEABINa FOR THE EYENING. 333 

explain this best by a familiar example : A piece of 
iron taken out of the fire, sparkles and looks red 
like fire, but it remains iron all the same ; retaining 
the name and substance it had before, though the 
brightness, heat, and other accidents, belong to fire. 
So Grace, which is a heavenly quality infused by 
God into the soul, transforms man into God, in such 
a manner, as to make him, in some measure, partake 
of the virtues and purity of God, without ceasing to 
be man. Thus was he transformed, who said : " I 
live, now ; not I, but Christ liveth in me.'^ 

Grace, moreover, is a spiritual ornament, formed 
by the hands of the Holy Ghost, which renders the 
soul so acceptable to God, that He adopts her for 
His daughter, and takes her for His bride. In this 
ornament the Prophet gloried, when he said : '^ I 
will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul shall 
be joyful in my God ; for He hath clothed me with 
the garments of salvation ; and w^ith the robe of 
justice He hath covered me, as a bridegroom decked 
with a crown, and as a bride adorned with her jew- 
els.'^ This is the robe of divers colors in which 
the King^s daughter, seated at the right hand of 
her bridegroom, was arrayed ; for, from Grace, spring 
the different virtues and divine habits which con- 
stitute her beauty. 

From what has been said, we may judge of the 
effects Grace produces in the soul wherein it resides. 
The principal effect is to make it so fair and lovely 
in the eyes of God, that He chooses her for His 



334 SEVENTH DAY. 

daughter, His spouse, His temple, and His habi- 
tation, where he deh'ghts to dwell with the children 
of men. Another eflfect is, that Grace not only 
embellishes the soul, but strengthens it by means 
of the virtues it brings with it. For this reason, 
the Angels, admiring her beauty, say: '^Who is 
she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair 
as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army 
in array ? ^^ Grace, then, as we see, is like a com- 
plete suit of armor which protects a man from head 
to foot ; and which so strengthens him, that, as St. 
Thomas says, the least degree of Grace suffices to 
overcome all the devils and all sorts of sin. 

Another effect of Grace, is, to make man so 
pleasing to God, and to give him such power with 
Him, that all his actions, provided they be not evil, 
and be offered for a supernatural end, are meritorious 
of eternal life. So that, not only acts of virtue, but 
even natural actions, as eating, drinking, sleeping, 
and the like, are acceptable to God, and merit an 
eternal recompense. - 

Besides all this, Grace makes man the adopted 
son of God and heir to His kingdom. It causes 
his name to be written in the book of life, wherein 
all the just are registered, and gives him a claim to 
the inheritance of heaven. This is the privilege 
our Saviour so highly commended to His disciples 
when, observing how pleased they were that devils 
had obeyed them in His name, He said to them : 
^^ Rejoice not in this, that the devils are subject unto 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 335 

you, but rejoice in this, that your names are written 
in heaven/^ And thereby, He clearly testifies that 
this is the greatest treasure the heart of man can 
desire. 

To conclude : Grace qualifies man for all kinds of 
good ; makes the way to heaven smooth and easy, 
and the yoke of Christ light and pleasant ; it makes 
a man run in the path of virtue ; cures the infirmi- 
ties of corrupt nature; and makes that easy and 
light which before seemed above his strength. By 
means of those virtues which proceed from it, Grace 
strengthens all the faculties of the soul ; enlightens 
the understanding; inflames the heart ; refreshes the 
memory, fortifies the free-will ; moderates the con- 
cupiscible appetite, that it may not yield to evil, and 
animates the soul that it may not be slothful in the 
pursuit of virtue. To gluttony, it opposes temper- 
ance ; to the desires of the flesh, chastity ; to pride, 
humility ; still more ; by Grace, God dwells in our 
souls, that by His presence. He may govern, defend, 
and conduct them to heaven. He is there like a 
king on his throne, like a general in his army, like 
a father in his family, like a master in his school, 
like a shepherd amidst his flock ; exercising in a 
spiritual manner all these offices which are so many 
effects of His Providence. But, if Grace is the source 
of so many goods; if it is an inseparable portion of 
virtue, can any man refuse to imitate the prudence 
of the wise merchant in the Gospel, who gave all he 
possessed for the pearl of so great value? 



336 SEVENTH DAY. 

Another privilege of virtue, is, a particular 
wisdom, which God imparts to the just ; this wisdom, 
like all other goods, proceeds from Grace, which, for 
this reason, the Holy Scripture calls unction. For, 
as oil is good both for giving light and curing wounds; 
so this divine unction heals the wounds of our will, 
and enlightens the darkness of our understanding. 
This is the oil, more precious than any balsam, which 
David exalted, when he said : ^^ Thou, O Lord, hast 
anointed my head with oil/^ It is clear, that he 
speaks not here of a human head, or of material oil ; 
but of a spiritual head, the noblest part of our souls, 
the seat of our understanding ; and of the spiritual 
oil, which is the light of the Holy Ghost, that feeds 
this lamp. Thus, this holy king confesses that God 
had revealed to him the most hidden secrets of his 
wisdom. 

St. Thomas teaches that the knowledge of God's 
goodness and beauty, increases in the souls of the 
just, proportionably to the love they have for Him. 
So that, if there is an advance of oue hundred 
degrees in the one, there will be an equal advance 
in the other; because, he that loves much, must 
know a great many qualities in the object beloved, 
which elicit love ; and so, on the contrary. 

What we say of the love of God, is also to be 
understood of fear, of hope, and of horror of sin ; 
which the soul can never hate above all things, unless 
it is conscious of the magnitude of the evil which 
deserves to be thus hated. Xow, as the Holy Ghost 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 337 

requires all these dispositions to be in the soul of a just 
man, He imparts the knowledge that produces them. 

This knowledge is a great light to the under- 
standing, a delicious food to the will, and the greatest 
joy to man. The Prophet calls it sometimes, a 
pasture; sometimes, a refreshing water; again, a table 
supplied with meats to strengthen him against all 
the power of his enemies ; for which reason, the same 
Prophet begs for this interior light and instruction, 
in that divine Psalm : '^ Blessed are the undefiled.^^ 
To this end, he says in one place: ^^O Lord, I am 
Thy servant; give me understanding, that I may 
know Thy testimonies ; ^^ and in another place : 
'' Open Thou my eyes, O Lord, that I may behold 
the wondrous things of Thy law.^^ 

Hence, what greater honor than to have such a 
Master, than to study at such a school, where the 
Lord Himself teaches His elect this heavenly wis- 
dom ! And that you may not look on this doctrine 
as common and ordinary, hear what the Royal Pro- 
phet says of it : "I have more understanding than 
all my teachers, because Thy testimonies are my 
meditation ; I understand more than the aged, be- 
cause I have sought after Thy commandments.^^ Nay, 
the Lord promises more than all this by His Pro- 
phet Isaias to those who serve Him. '^ The Lord,^^ 
says he, '' shall give thee rest, and shall fill thy soul 
with brightness. Thou shalt be like a watered gar- 
den, and like a spring of water, whose waters shall 
not fail/' 
22 



33S SEYE^sTH DAY. 

Wba: brightness is :j.:-. "iierewith God fills the 
- !- :: His Sri :\i:s. but the knowledge He gives 
:-:r-:: :: :i:^^- nr:e-s:^:" to their salvation? He 
;^:'vs me::: :-= .c^::;' jI virtue, the hideousDess 
of vice ; the value of the world, the worth of Grace; 
the ^:r:.:i.TSS ::' -1-':'^:.. ^,::y. :he swcr:_T5- of 
thr : :::-:":i:::::s -.v-i::! tne H:i;-' GL :s: ;r-:: vs; 
i„r ^;: i-rss :i G-d, the malic- c; :i.e -levi^. c-nd 
the - : .ness of life. God, as the same Pr r: 
■ se: c- virtue of this knowledge, make- His 

Srivaiits 0^1 :i high, that they may benoid the 
King in H:^ :r:.;.:y. and look down upon the earth 
which is vc.;-' :-i:::e. Tnereiore. the things of this 
w: of so little value to them, because they 

sec :iec„ such as they : '' are : and they have so 
lii^ii an esteem of the g. . - : heaven, because they 
":zi.:i;l them so near. 

For this reason, they who participate in this 
heavenly gift^ do not glory in prosperity, nor are 
they troubled in the adversities that be£dl them. 
Hence, these words of Solomon : " The just, like 
the sun, ever remain in the same state ; but the fool 
changes like the moon." Upon these words St. 
Ambrose says very well : The wise man is not 
alarmed by fears, he does not change his views by 
force of power ; he is not elated by prosperity, nor 
dejected by adversity; because where wisdom dwells, 
there also, courage, constancy and fortitude reside : 
so that the soul of the ^ ise man is always in the 
same disposition : it neither rises nor falls by the 



BEADING FOR THE EVENING. 339 

changes that occur ; it is not carried away by the 
winds of doctrine ; but it remains stable in Jesus 
Christ, resting on these two firm foundations, — faith 
and charity. 

Nor are we to wonder at the marvelous power of 
this wisdom ; it is not of earth, but of heaven ; it 
does not puff up, but edifies ; it does not enlighten 
the understanding by speculation, but it inflames the 
will by its heat. Thus was St. Augustine wonder- 
fully moved, when he heard the Psalms and hymns 
of the Church sung ; he tells us that he wept. These 
voices, charming his ears, the words sunk down to 
his inmost soul, imprinting the truth in his mind, 
shedding in his heart the fervor of devotion, and 
drawing from his eyes abundant tears that filled him 
with joy and comfort. O blessed tears ! O happy 
wisdom ! bearing such fruit. O divine school ! 
Can we find in the world any wisdom to compare 
with this ? Job says : '' It cannot be bought for gold, 
neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. 
The richest goods of India, in their variety of colors, 
cannot be compared with it ; precious stones of great 
value, the richest vessels of gold and crystal are as 
nothing, when compared to this divine wisdom. ^^ 

This is one of the greatest rewards that can be 
offered, to excite you to the love of virtue ; it alone 
puts into your hands the key to this precious treasure, 
for Solomon says : '' He who observes the command- 
ments of God will find wisdom. ^^ This wisdom, 
does not always continue in the same degree, but 



340 SEVENTH DAY. 

it receives a daily increase of light and knowledge. 
"The path of the just, says the Holy Spirit, is as 
the shining light that shineth more and more unto 
the perfect day/' — to the day of a blessed eternity 
wherein we shall have a full sight and knowledge 
of God Himself. 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 341 



EIGHTH DAY. 



First Reading for the Morning. 

Following of Christ j Book III. chapter XLVii. 



Second Reading. 

The Consolations which Virtuous souls receive from 
the Holy Ghost, 

(From the Writings of Father Granada). 

This privilege derives its source from the preced- 
ing, because this light which God imparts to His 
servants, is not confined to the understanding; it 
descends into the will, filling it with a divine 
gladness. The sun enlightens and warms : in the 
same manner, the Holy Ghost diffuses in the souls 
of the just, the most brilliant light and the sweetest 
consolations. The Psalmist says: " Light is risen 
to the just, and joy to the right of heart." 

We must endeavor to describe the extent of this 
joy. As vice is the source of all evil, so virtue is 
the source of all good. This is a truth generally 
admitted ; and yet, sinners deny that there is any 
pleasure in virtue. Tell me, then, O deluded man, 
if the way to heaven is so disagreeable as you assert, 
what does the Prophet mean when he says : " O Lord, 
how plentiful is the sweetness which Thou dost 



342 EIGHTH DAY. 

reserve for those that fear Thee?^' These words 
indicate not only the delights which the virtuous 
enjoy, but also the reason why they are unknown 
to the wicked : God conceals them from such. 
What, likewise, do these words of the same Prophet 
signify? " My soul shall rejoice in the Lord, and 
exult in God, my Saviour. All the powers of 
my soul shall cry out : O Lord, who is like to 
Thee?'' Why does he employ these strong terms, 
if not to show us how truly admirable is the joy of 
the just. Although this joy resides in the spirit, 
nevertheless, it gushes out upon the flesh, in such 
degree, that the flesh, which delights chiefly in 
carnal things yet, by the communication of the 
spirit, is gladdened also with spiritual joys, and 
exults in God ; so that, all the bones of the body, 
as it were, being ravished with this sweetness, men 
are forced to cry out : Who is like to Thee, O 
Lord ? What pleasures are comparable to those 
we taste in Thy service? What content, what love, 
what peace, what delight can creatures afford us, 
compared with those we receive from Thee? What, 
again, does the Royal Prophet mean by saying : 
'^The voice of rejoicing and of salvation is in the 
tabernacles of the just?'' Does this not convince 
us that true peace and pleasure are not to be found 
in the abodes of sinners, but in the hearts of the 
just? What does he mean by these words: ^^Let 
the just feast and rejoice in the presence of God, 
and be delighted with gladness ? '^ This is to show, 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 343 

that the elect of God have also their feasts and 
banquets. Yes^ " O Lord, they shall be inebriated 
with the plenty of Thy house, and Thou wilt make 
them drink of the torrent of Thy pleasures.'^ How 
could the Prophet better explain the extent of these 
delights than by using this expressive language, 
showing the power of these charms in drawing the 
heart of man to God ? For, as one inebriated with 
wine, loses the use of his senses, and remains, as it 
were, dead ; so, in like manner, one who has drunk 
of this heavenly wine, becomes dead to the world, 
to its pleasures, and to all carnal joys. 

We read again : " Happy is the people that know 
what jubilation is.^^ Others would have said : Happy 
they who abound in riches, who are inclosed by 
strong walls. But holy David who understood the 
emptiness of earthly things, terms happy those only 
who from experience know what it is to rejoice in 
God ; for this alone deserves the name of jubilation. 
St. Gregory says that this jubilation is joy of spirit; 
we can neither express it by words, nor reveal it by 
outward signs and deeds. Happy they, who in 
loving God, know from experience what this jubi- 
lation is. 

It is written of St. Ephraim that he was often so 
overpowered by these divine consolations, that his 
body was too weak to support them, and he was 
forced to complain to God, saying : " Retire from 
me a little, O Lord, for my body cannot endure the 
weight of Thy sweetness.'^ O unspeakable goodness ! 



344 EIGHTH DAY. 

O immense sweetness of this Sovereign Lord ! who 
communicates Himself with such profusion to His 
creatures^ that their frail bodies cannot endure the 
abundant consolations He bestows ! 

Then it is, that by this heavenly inebriation the 
powers of the soul are lulled to rest ; by it, the soul 
enjoys the slumber of peace and life ; so that, rising 
above herself, she knows^ loves, and enjoys pleasures 
that infinitely surpass all that nature could afford. 
As water over the fire, when it has attained a certain 
degree of heat, unmindful, as it were, of its own 
nature, which is to be heavy and tend downwards ; 
on the contrary, mounts upwards, borrowing the 
nature and levity of fire which imparts to it this 
extraordinary motion ; so, in like manner, the soul 
heated by this heavenly fire rises above herself, and, 
endeavoring to fly from earth to heaven, whence 
this flame descended, is transported with an ardent 
desire of enjoying God ; she runs eagerly in pursuit 
of Him, stretching out her arms to embrace Him, 
whom she so passionately loves. But, if she can 
neither overtake Him nor diminish the ardor of her 
desires, she faints and languishes, unable to attain 
her object ; and her only consolation is, to send up 
loving sighs to heaven, crying out with the Spouse 
of the Canticles : '' Tell my Beloved that I languish 
with love.^' 

It is a divine characteristic, says the Prophet, to 
be holy with the holy, and good with the good. 
Now, if the just man burning with love for God, 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 345 

spends himself for His glory, what will not God do 
for the consolation and happiness of the just man? 
Ah ! replies the Prophet Isaias ; '' The eye hath not 
seen, nor the ear heard what God has prepared for 
those who hope in Him/^ This is to be understood 
not only of the goods of glory, but also of those of 
grace. 

But, if you ask me what is the chief source of the 
consolations which virtuous souls enjoy, the Lord 
will answer you by the mouth of the Prophet Isaias : 
'' The children of strangers who approach the Lord 
to serve Him, to love Him, and to keep His cove- 
nant, I will bring them into my holy mount, and 
make them joyful in my house of prayer/^ It is, 
therefore, chiefly in this holy exercise that the Lord 
comforts His elect. For this reason, St. Lawrence 
Justinian says : '' By prayer, the hearts of the just 
are inflamed with the love of their Creator ; then, 
rising above themselves, they dwell in spirit amid 
the choirs of Angels, singing with them in the 
presence of the Lord ; they love, they sigh, they 
praise, and weep ; they eat, and are still hungry ; 
they drink without being satisfied ; and they 
endeavor with all the strength that love can impart, 
to transform themselves into Thee, O Lord ; — con- 
templating Thee by faith, seeking Thee by desire, 
and rejoicing by charity, in Thy divine attributes. 
In this way they know, by experience, how true are 
the words Thou dost speak : '' My joy shall be ful- 
filled in them.'^ This joy, like a peaceful stream, 



346 EIGHTH DAY. 

spreads over all the faculties of the soul ; it enlightens 
the understanding^ animates the will, and gives to 
the memory only thoughts of God. Then, the soul 
lovingly embraces what it cannot comprehend, but 
which it would rather die than relinquish. As the 
Patriarch Jacob wrestling with the Angel, unwilling 
to suffer him to depart ; in like manner, the heart 
seems to wrestle here below with this divine sweet- 
ness, anxious to retain it, because it finds therein 
all the happiness it could desire. Like St. Peter on 
the mountain, it cries out : " Lord, it is good for us 
to be here.^^ Then the soul understands these loving 
words of the Canticle : '' His left hand is under my 
head, and His right hand doth embrace me ; support 
me with flowers, and comfort me with apples, for I 
languish with love.^^ 

Hence, the soul inflamed with this divine fire, 
desires nothing so much as to depart from the prison 
of the body, sighing day and night, because the time 
of her deliverance has not come. Death is the object 
of her longings, life is the trial of her patience. 
Then, quite astonished, she wonders within herself, 
how such treasures could have been so long concealed 
from her ; and, understanding that all men are 
capable of enjoying this great happiness, she desires 
to run up and down the street and public places to 
cry out : '' Fools, and madmen, whither do you run? 
What are you in search of? Why do you not hasten 
to enjoy this treasure ! Taste and see how sweet is 
the Lord ! happy are they who place their trust in 



READING FOR THE MORNING. 347 

Him!'' Thus, having once tasted spiritual enjoy- 
ments^ carnal pleasures are disgusting to her ; she 
delights to be alone with the Lord ; honors are a 
burden to her; and all she aims at^ is to disengage 
herself from the world. She says with the Prophet : 
" What have I, O Lord, in heaven, or what do I 
desire upon earth besides Thee ? My heart and my 
flesh have fainted away ; but God is my strength 
and my portion forever/' Holy truths seem no 
longer obscure to her ; she sees them now with 
different eyes ; and she feels such wonderful changes 
in her heart, that they serve as convincing proofs of 
all the dogmas of faith. She looks upon creatures 
as images of her Creator's beauty, as mirrors of His 
glory, as the interpreters, as faithful messengers who 
bring her tidings of Him ; as fair portraits of His 
graces and perfections ; and as so many presents 
which the Bridegroom sends His beloved to win still 
more affection, while waiting to be conducted to the 
eternal nuptials celebrated in heaven. 

The whole world to her is a book speaking inces- 
santly of God : — as a letter from her Well-Beloved 
— and as a token of His love. Thus pass the nights 
of those who love God ; this is the sleep of repose 
to them ; for it is under the sweet and delightful 
influence of these peaceful nights, that the soul 
retires within herself, and falls into that slumber of 
which it is said : " I sleep, but my heart watches." 
And when her divine Spouse perceives her thus at 
rest within His arms, he is careful not to disturb 



348 EIGHTH DAY. 

her, saying : " I adjure you, ye Daughters of 
Jerusalem, not to wake my beloved till she 
please/^ 

You will tell me, perhaps, that these extraordi- 
nary favors are not granted to all, that only the 
perfect enjoy them. True, as a general thing, these 
special graces are reserved for privileged souls; 
nevertheless, God frequently bestows His sweet 
caresses even on those who have just entered His 
service. He gives them first, milk, as to children, 
to bring them gradually to eat more solid food. 
Call to mind the feasting and rejoicing that followed 
the return of the Prodigal Child. What was all 
this but a figure of the spiritual joy which a soul 
experiences, when she finds herself delivered from 
Egypt, and freed from the slavery of the demon. 
For how could he who has recovered his liberty, do 
otherwise than rejoice at so signal a benefit? What 
could he do less, than invite all creatures to help 
him give thanks to his deliverer, saying : Praise the 
Lord who has so gloriously triumphed ! 

The Providence that ministers to every creature 
according to its nature, weakness, age, and capacity, 
seems to require that similar favors should be 
granted to worldly men ; for, of themselves, they 
are incapable of aspiring to spiritual things; nor 
could they otherwise resolve to enter upon this new 
path, nor trample the world and its charms under 
foot. Hence, Providence ordinarily smooths the 
path of virtue for converted sinners, that they may 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 349 

walk conveniently therein, without stumbling, or 
looking back. 

We have a striking figure of this truth in the 
journey which God required the children of Israel 
to make, in conducting them into the land of promise. 
When the Lord, says Moses, brought the children 
of Israel out of Egypt, He did not lead them through 
the land of the Philistines, although it was the 
shortest ; fearing that they would return into Egypt, 
should they see the enemies they would have to 
encounter in this place. Now, the same Lord who 
was so careful in leading the Israelites into the land 
of promise, is no less so, in bringing those to heaven 
whom He is pleased to call to this happiness, when 
He withdraws them from this world. 



Third Reading. 

Common Rules, chapter ix. 



Fourth Reading. 

Of the Vigilance and Courage necessary to 
walk in the path of Virtue, 

(From the Writings of Father Granada.) 

Christian justice comprises so many virtues, that 
the narrow limits of our understanding do not permit 
us to embrace them all in their full extent ; therefore, 
it is indispensable, to labor for the acquisition of one 



350 EIGHTH DAY. 

general virtue which comprises all the others, and 
which, as far as possible, supplies the want of all 
others. This virtue is no other than a constant 
solicitude and vigilance, and a continual attention to 
all we do or say, that so everything may be regulated 
by reason. We should in this exercise, imitate a pru- 
dent ambassador who is to address a sovereign prince 
on important matters. His attention is concentrated 
on the points he is to treat; on his words, on the tone 
of voice, and even on the motions of his body. In 
like manner, the servant of God should give close 
attention to every thought and action; so that, 
whether he speaks, or maintains silence, he may 
always hold the compass in his hand, measuring his 
words, actions, and thoughts, in order to square them 
to the law of God, to the dictates of reason, and to 
the rules of propriety. 

The Holy Spirit exhorts us to this vigilance when 
He says : '' Watch carefully over yourself and over 
your own soul.'^ The soldiers of Jesus Christ should, 
like those mysterious animals spoken of by Ezechiel, 
be full of eyes, to follow the movements of their 
numerous enemies, and to discover the snares they 
set for them. The same lesson is inculcated, by 
the position of the seventy warriors that guarded 
the bed of Solomon. Each had his sword upon his 
thigh, ready to draw it from its scabbard ; to show 
what extraordinary vigilance is required of him who 
walks in the midst of so many enemies. 



BEADING FOR THE EVENING. 351 

Besides the dangers to which we are exposed, 
another reason for the necessity of this virtue, is the 
difficulty of attaining the perfection of the spiritual 
life ; for, to lead the life which God desires of us ; 
to preserve ourselves without stain in the midst of 
the corruption of the world ; to live in the flesh 
without being defiled, are things so elevated, so far 
above the strength of nature, that to attain thereto, 
we need all the helps we have proposed; and, 
moreover, God must assist us by His grace. 

To facilitate the exercise of vigilance, Seneca 
proposes the following means : '' The man who 
wishes to acquire virtue,^^ says he, '' should imagine 
himself in the presence of one for whom he has the 
most profound veneration ; and endeavor to do and 
say everything as if that person were really present/^ 

Another means, is, to think that we have no longer 
to live than the present day : performing all our 
actions as if we were fully persuaded we should 
appear at night before the tribunal of divine justice, 
to render an account of our life. But the most 
efficacious means of all, is, to walk always in the 
presence of God, as far as this is possible ; having 
Him ever before our eyes, and perform all our actions 
as in the presence of so sovereign a Majesty. This 
attention which we recommend, should be with 
reference to two objects : one, considering God 
interiorly, walking before Him, adoring Him, 
praising and reverencing Hin ; loving and thanking 
Him, and oflFering to Him a perpetual sacrifice of 



352 EIGHTH DAY. 

devotion on the altar of our heart; the other, 
exercising great watchfulness in all we undertake ; 
performing all our actions in such a manner, as never 
to depart from the path of virtue. Thus, with one 
eye we look upon God, asking His grace; and with 
the other, we observe ourselves, to regulate well our 
conduct. 

The preceding advice has, in some measure, fur- 
nished us with eyes to recognize our duty; the 
following will furnish us with arms, that is, forti- 
tude, to accomplish it. We observe in virtue two 
difficulties : the first consists in distinguishing between 
good and evil ; and the second, in overcoming the 
one and pursuing the other. We have need of 
vigilance for the one, and of fortitude for the other. 
Without the attention resulting from vigilance, we 
would be blind ; and void of fortitude, we would 
accomplish nothing. 

This fortitude is not that cardinal virtue which 
holds a middle rank between rashness and fear ; but 
a general fortitude necessary for overcoming all the 
difficulties that impede our progress in the practice 
of the virtues. Hence, it always accompanies them, 
with sword in hand, to open a passage for them and 
to protect them. Examine each virtue, there is not 
one but presents some difficulty ; every one is open 
to assault from self-love, the world, or the devil. 
Without fortitude, virtues would be powerless ; how 
could they resist these attacks? But they will 
readily gain the victory if fortitude be exercised. 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 353 

Therefore, it is expedient to point out in this 
place an error into which they, who begin to serve 
God, ordinarily fall. After having read in some 
pious books, of the wonderful consolations of the 
Holy Ghost, they imagine that the path of virtue is 
extremely pleasant, without the mixture of any 
trouble ; hence, they make no more preparation for 
it, than if they were undertaking a most easy and 
delightful task ; therefore, instead of arming them- 
selves for the fight, they adorn themselves as for a 
bridal-day ; they do not consider that if the love of 
God is most sweet in itself, the way that leads to it 
is, nevertheless, very hard and toilsome. They 
should, at least, reflect that self-love must be over- 
come ; that they will always have themselves to fight 
against, and this is the fiercest struggle of all. 

It is true, that God has great consolations in 
store for those who labor faithfully in His service, 
and who have exchanged the pleasures of earth for 
those of heaven ; but this exchange is absolutely 
requisite ; and if we do not divest ourselves entirely 
of our former evil habits, we cannot hope to share 
these comforts. Manna was not given to the 
children of Israel until they had consumed all the 
flour they had carried out of Egypt. 

But, to return to our subject: they who are not 
armed with this fortitude, cannot expect to obtain 
what they are in search of; they certainly, will never 
find it, unless a change is wrought in their affections 
and desires. They must be convinced, that repose 
23 



354 EIGHTH DAY. 

is purchased by toil, victory by fighting, joy by tears, 
and the love of God by hatred of self. This is the 
reason why sloth and laziness are so often condemned 
in the proverbs, and fortitude and diligence so highly 
commended. 

You will ask me, perhaps, what are the means of 
acquiring this fortitude which, like all other virtues, 
has its difficulties. The first means is, to hold it in 
great esteem, because it is the key and guardian of 
the precious treasure of all virtues. Why does the 
world fly from virtue ? because it is terrified by the 
difficulties that attend the practice of it. The 
sluggard says : " There is a lion in the way ; I shall 
be killed in the middle of the street.^^ 

This fortitude overcomes self-love ; and when this 
enemy is once routed, God, Himself, immediately 
comes in its place ; since, according to St. John : 
He that abides in charity, abides in God. 

Another powerful consideration, is, the example 
of so many holy men whom we see in the world poor, 
worn out with fasting and watching, destitute of all 
the conveniences of this life; some of whom are so 
desirous of suffering and mortification, that, as mer- 
chants hasten to the best fairs, and scholars to the 
most famous Universities, so these men seek the 
most austere monasteries where they find no food 
but hunger ; no riches but poverty ; no pleasures 
but the cross and constant mortification. 

What can we imagine more opposed to the prac- 
tice of the world and to the inclinations of the greater 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 355 

portion of mankind, than to penetrate into distant 
countries seeking privation and suffering? This, 
certainly, is contrary to flesh and blood, but it is 
entirely conformed to the Spirit of God. 

But, what most strongly condemns our delicacy, is 
the example of so many Martyrs, who have under- 
gone the severest tortures, for the purchasing of the 
kingdom of heaven. Almost every day in the year 
the Church places before us the example of some of 
these courageous souls ; not so much to honor them 
by the celebration of their feast, as to edify us by 
the example they have left us. One day, we have 
the example of a Martyr who was broiled; again, 
of one that was flayed alive; another, cast into the 
sea; another, thrown headlong from a rock; another, 
whose flesh was torn off with red-hot pincers ; 
another, pulled limb from limb ; another, shot to 
death with arrows ; another, plunged into a cauldron 
of boiling oil. And, as if one torture was not 
enough to take away their life, several of them were 
subjected to all the tortures that human nature could 
suffer. How many were carried from prison to the 
whipping-post; from the whipping-post to the stake; 
thence to be torn with iron hooks ; and, after all 
this, they died by the sword, which not unfrequently, 
was the only instrument that could deprive them of 
life, although it could not hurt their faith nor daunt 
their courage. What shall 1 say of the inventions 
which the cruel ingenuity, not of men, but of demons, 
devised to overcome the constancy of the soul by 



356 EIGHTH BAY. 

tortures of the body? In some instances, after 
having had their members slashed and torn, these 
Martyrs were laid upon beds of nettles and sharp 
pieces of stones and tiles, that being extended 
thereon, new tortures might be inflicted ; so that the 
body became a universal sore, while their faith, at 
the same time, was assailed by this accumulation of 
unheard-of torments. 

Nevertheless, these Martyrs were not differently 
constituted from us ; their bodies were formed of 
the same clay as ours ; they had no other God than 
ours to assist them ; nor w^as the glory they expected 
any other than that which we hope for. Now, if 
they underwent such torments and cruel death to 
obtain eternal life, shall we hesitate to mortify the 
irregular desires of the flesh for the attainment of 
the same happiness? Shall we refuse to fast one 
day, when these holy men died of hunger? Shall 
we consider it burdensome to say a few prayers on 
our knees, with devotion^ when these Saints con- 
tinued to pray even while hanging on the cross? 
Shall we be unwilling to mortify and retrench our 
desires and passions in small things, when these men 
so cheerfully gave, their limbs to be torn in pieces ? 
Why should we be loath to take a little time every 
day for recollection in our oratory, when these 
Saints were happy to remain shut up in prisons 
and dungeons ? 

But, if these examples have no effect upon us, 
let us raise our eyes to the sacred wood of the 



READING FOR THE EVENING. 357 

Cross ; let us consider who He is that is attached 
to it, and who, for love of us, suffers thereon the 
most cruel torments. ^^ Consider Him,^' says the 
Apostle, *^who endured such contradictions from 
sinners, for fear you should lose courage in sufFer- 
ing.^^ This is an astonishing example, in what way 
soever you look at it : if you reflect on His suffer- 
ings, they could not have been greater ; if you ask 
who it is that endures them, we answer, an infinite 
Majesty ; if we would know the cause for which 
He suffers ; it is, not to expiate His own sins, being 
innocence itself, nor for any need He had of them, 
for He is Master of all created things ; but, through 
pure goodness and love. And, notwithstanding His 
infinite Majesty, He underwent, in body and soul, 
torments that far exceed the united sufferings of the 
Martyrs and of all men. His torments were a 
subject of astonishment to heaven and to earth ; the 
very rocks were rent asunder, and all nature was 
in desolation. Shall man alone remain insensible? 
Will he be so ungrateful as not to follow, in any 
degree, an example that has been given expressly 
for him ? Our divine Saviour, Himself, says : ^^Did 
it not behoove Christ to suffer, and thus enter into 
His glory? Since Jesus Christ came into the world 
to conduct us to heaven, and since the Cross is the 
way that leads thereto, it was fitting that He 
should be the first attached to it ; that animated 
by His example, the servant might have strength 
and courage to endure light sufferings, seeing the 



358 EIGHTH DAY. 

Master so constant under the most horrible tor- 
ments. 

After this, who would not be ashamed to seek the 
delights and pleasures of this life, when he sees Jesu? 
Christ, with all His friends, subjected to the most 
cruel tortures ? All this should be a powerful 
inducement to the practice of virtue. 

In concluding this chapter, I shall add that excel- 
lent sentence of our Saviour: ^'If any one will 
come after me, let him take up his cross and follow 
me.'' In these few words, our Saviour gives us an 
epitome of the Gospel ; by them He teaches us that 
a perfect Christian enjoys a profound peace and a 
sort of paradise, provided he remains attached to the 
Cross with Jesus Christ, by the practice of self- 
renunciation. 

FINIS. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



I 



PAGE. 

Eegulations for the Ketreat 5 

Important Observations. 10 

Prayers for the Opening of the Retreat 13 

Meditation for the Eve of the Retreat 16 



^ FikSt Day. 

First Meditation.— On Creation 22 

Second Meditation. — On our Vocation to Christianity 25 

Consideration. — On the Sanctification of our ordinary 

Actions 30 

Third Meditation. — On the Benefit of our Vocation 36 

Second Day. 

First Meditation.— On Mortal Sin 43 

Second Meditation.— On Venial Sin 47 

Consideration. — On Prayer. 52 

Third Meditation.— On Tepidity 57 

Third Day. 

First Meditation. — On Preparation for Death 64 

Second Meditation. — On Particular Judgment 68 

Consideration. — On General Confessions 74 

Third Meditation.— On Hell 81 

359 



360 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Fourth Day. 

PAGE. 

First Meditation. — On Penance 86 

Second Meditation.— On the Prodigal Child 91 

Consideration. — On Contrition. ........ 96 

Third Meditation.— On Poverty 102 

Fifth Day. 

Note 109 

First Meditation. — On Holy Communion 109 

Second Meditation — On Chastity Ho 

Consideration. — On Modesty 1 20 

Third Meditation. — On Mortification 125 

Sixth Day. 

Note 131 

First Meditation. — On Obedience 131 

Second Meditation. — On Detachment 135 

Consideration. — On the Manner of fulfilling our Duty.... 140 

Third Meditation. — On the Service of the Poor 146 

Seventh Day. 

First Meditation. — On Our Holy Kules 153 

Second Meditation. — On Humility 158 

Consideration. — On the Presence of God 164 

Third Meditation. — On Simplicity 169 

Eighth Day. 

First Meditation. — On Charity.. 174 

Second Meditation. — On the Happiness of Heaven. 179 

Consideration. — On Particular Examens 185 

Third Meditation. — On the Blessed Virgin 190 

Note on this Meditation 195 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 361 



Ninth Day. 

PAGE. 

Meditation. — On Perseverance 197 

Close of the Retreat. , 203 



READINGS FOR THE RETREAT. 

First Day. 

Indication of the Chapter from the Following of Christ. 
Second Reading : Upon the Benefits of Creation and 
Preservation 209 

Indication of the Chapter from the Rules, Fourth Reading : 

Upon the Benefits of Redemption and Justification. 218 

Second Day. 

Indication of the Chapter from the Following of Christ. 

Second Reading: On the knowledge of one's self..... 230 

Indication of the Chapter from the Rules. Fourth Read- 
ing : On the Abuse of Grace and the means of 
avoiding it 237 

Third Day. 

Indication of the Chapter from the Following of Christ. 

Second Reading: On the Death of the Just 248 

Indication of the Chapter from the Rules. Fourth Read- 
ing: On the Motives of Contrition 258 

Fourth Day. 

Indication of the Chapter from the Following of Christ. 
Second Reading: On the Dispositions necessary for 
a true Conversion 267 

Indication of the Chapter from the Rules. Fourth Read- 
ing: On Heaven 276 



362 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



3/A' 



Fifth Day. 

Indication of the Chapter from the Following of Christ. ^ 

Second Reading: On the Imitation of Our Lord ^^'^i 

Indication of the Chapter from the Rules. Fourth Read- Q 

ing : On our Duty towards God, Ourselves, and our 
Neighbor 297 

Sixth Day. \ 

Indication of the Chapter from the Following of Christ. 

Second Read^'ng: On Charity 306 

Indication of the Chapter from the Rules. Fourth Read- 
ing: On the Means of acquiring the Love of God... 315 

Seventh Day. 

Indication of the Chapter from the Following of Christ, 
Second Reading : On the particular Care which 
Divine Providence takes of the Good. ......;... 324 

Indication of the Chapter from the Rules. .Fourth Read- 
ing: On the Grace and Light of the Holy Spirit in 
regard to virtuous souls 332 

Eighth Day. 

Indication of the Chapter from the Following of Christ, 
Second Reading : On the Consolations of the Holy 
Spirit in virtuous souls 341 

Indication of the Chapter from the Rules. Fourth Read- 
ing : On the Vigilance and Courage necessary to 
walk in the path of Virtue 349 



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